


Redemption

by InDreamsIDoWander



Series: Maybe Redemption Has Stories to Tell [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man (Movies), Iron Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Avengers, Because misfits stick together, Canon Divergence - No Hydra Takeover, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, Family, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Family Secrets, Hydra will get theirs, Kid Fic, M/M, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Not Captain America: The Winter Soldier Compliant, Not Iron Man 3 Compliant, Not Thor: The Dark World Compliant, Peggy Carter is a badass, Protective Bucky Barnes, Romance, Team as Family, The Avengers Are Family, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony wasn't the only Stark heir
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-14
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-04-14 14:37:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 64,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4568223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InDreamsIDoWander/pseuds/InDreamsIDoWander
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony Stark is not the sole heir to the Stark legacy.  The Avengers are about to bring a few more misfits into the fold......</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. What's Past is Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Note: This is not IM3 (I like to pretend it didn't happen at ALL), CA:TWS, or AOU compliant. I'm playing fast and loose with plot lines.... Peggy Carter is still kicking it like the badass that she is. I don't own any of em otherwise Bucky and Clint would belong to me. Jennifer Stark, Marielena Stark, Kristian Stark, Faolan Stark, Sansa Stark-Rumlow, Joey Rumlow, Damien Cruz-Rumlow, and anyone else that wasn't drummed up by Marvel belong to my delightfully demented imagination....
> 
> Note # 2: In my universe, Pepper Potts is portrayed by Jaime Ray Newman.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we begin to bring our darling cast together....

**2014**

**Starbucks, two blocks away from Avengers Tower....**

 

Darcy hummed to herself as she drank her White Chocolate Mocha and typed away on the keyboard of her laptop. It was a nice day out and she decided some Vitamin D might not be such a bad thing. In between answering emails and creating her schedule and work lists for the week, she was talking (typing she mentally corrected herself – in her mind she heard Steve's Captain America 'I'm disappointed in the 21st century' voice “ _Back in the day, talking actually meant using real speech Doll” –_ cue the roll of her eyes now) to her cousin.

 

 **LiLBiT312:** So when is my darling cousin going to take a break from the big bad PR world and come visit us lowly Starks not in the Tower?

 

She bit back a giggle.

 

 **DarcyWithaD:** I'm sorry, I wasn't aware there was such a thing as lowly Starks? Would that make Tony or Pepper Rapunzel? And not for nothing, Tony's been trying to rectify the fact that there are two of you not accounted for when we do Tower roll call. I'm saddened by the fact that the begging and pleading from both a Lewis and a Stark hasn't convinced you yet. He's getting so desperate that he's threatening to sick Pepper on you.

 

 **LiLBiT312:** Pepper's too badass to play the damsel in distress. Tony'd be Rapunzel. Cept it'd be more along the lines of Iron Man, Iron Man, send down the Mark 45.

 

 **DarcyWithaD:** LMAO!!!! I can't with you. Seriously though, I think Pepper's planning to come see you next week.

 

 **LiLBiT312:** That'd be a dirty move....

 

 **DarcyWithaD:** But it'd be effective wouldn't it?

 

 **LiLBiT312:** Darce, I've accepted the fact that I'm going to need to step up to the family mantle eventually. But I need to do it in my own time. I'm not sure I'm ready to go from it just being me, Mama,  Sansa and the pets at home to living with everyone. I feel like if it the Tower had a soundtrack, it'd be 'Welcome to the Jungle' (at least from how Aunt Peggy describes it). Is it so wrong to just want to concentrate on my little girl right now?

 

Darcy sighed deeply. Concentrating on Sansa was always Jenny's excuse as to why they hadn't moved to the Tower yet. To keep Sansa out of the media spotlight. Which, while it was a legitimate concern, Jenny also knew between her and Pepper's connections, there was no way the paparazzi would ever get close enough to the little girl if they didn't allow it.

 

In all reality, she thought Jenny might have some form of social phobia. Sam agreed with her after she'd spoken to him about it. Together, they thought it stemmed from the accident that took her parents and Sansa's father. While she only had one physical scar (which was cleverly covered up by a tattoo), Jenny hated the way people would sometimes look when she signed. She wasn't sold on the hearing implants, because the doctors couldn't guarantee that they'd even work. She could still talk, but was preparing herself for the day when her hearing would finally go completely. She didn't want to be known as the deaf Stark. So instead, she kept to herself out on Long Island and socialized only when doing her charity work.

 

 **DarcyWithaD:** No, but Sansa would also benefit from having more family around. Think about it how awesome a childhood the kid could have growing up around the Avengers. Steve and I were talking about having kids somewhere down the line. Not to mention the fact that Tony and Pepper are planning to have a baby within the next year or so. Joey' and Dami's girls are only a few blocks away.  She'll get to grow up with her cousins the same way we did J.  Not just weekend visits.

 

 **LiLBiT312:** I'll think about it Darce. I promise. * pinky promise *

 

It was at that moment, her reply to Jenny was interrupted as a man sat down across from her. He was wearing a Captain America sweatshirt, dark jeans and a Dodgers baseball cap. His hair just barely touched his shoulders. His face had a few days worth of stubble. There was no malice in his eyes, only fear and a myriad of other emotions. But mostly fear. _Why's he afraid of me?_

 

“You're Stevie's girl,” he said in a raspy voice.

 

Wordlessly, she nodded.

 

“I need ta see him,” he pleaded, a distinctly Brooklyn accent seeping through.

 

As much as Darcy knew she should be alarmed, something told her that it wouldn't be necessary. She could practically hear Jenny and Natasha's voices telling her to go with her gut. “Who are you?”

 

“Punk had ta've talked bout me enough that ya can figure it out Doll,” he responded with a faint smile.

 

She gave him a really good look and gasped as recognition flared in her eyes. “B-b-bucky? How? You died in '44!?!”

 

He shook his head. “No Doll. I fell in '44 but I wasn't dead.”

 

“Then where've you been for 70 years?”

 

He looked around fearfully.  “Hydra had me. I got the files ta prove it,” he rasped, barely above a whisper.

 

Without giving it a second thought, she sent a message to Jenny.

 

 **DarcyWithaD:** J, I'm not sure what to do. This guy just sat down across from me saying that he's Bucky Barnes. He claims that Hydra's had him all this time.

 

 **LiLBiT312:** Okay. Calm down Darce. Don't you remember the vision I had when we were kids? What'd I say that set Aunt Peggy, Uncle Howie and Uncle Jim off? Shit, Steve doesn't even know that I know that...

 

“If you're really Bucky, what did you and Steve always tell each other, even when you were kids?”

 

Bucky smiled again. _Good girl_ , he thought to himself. _Being cautious. Steve must've told her. Punk taught her right._ Asking him something that wasn't on public record was a perfect way to verify that it was really him. “That we were with each other til the end of the line.”

 

Darcy gasped covering her mouth. “Wow. Um okay. Why'd you come to me?”

 

“This is the first time I've been able to get near ya without a small army of bodyguards around ya Doll.”

 

Darcy froze for a second, reaching under the table for her souped up tazer that Tony'd given her for her last birthday.

 

“I ain't gonna hurt ya Doll. I'd never hurt Stevie's girl.”

 

Before Darcy could respond, another message came through her computer.

 

 **LiLBiT312:** Darce, it's really him I swear it. I had a dream about it last night. Just didn't think it would happen so soon otherwise I woulda told ya. And no, he won't hurt you. He's finally in his right mind (don't ask, not my story to tell). Call Tony first to get him clearance. Do not call Steve! He'll just end up waiting in the lobby which will make Bucky all kinds of anxious. Talk to him a little bit and call me later with the details. I wanna know what happened to my favorite historical hottie.

 

 **DarcyWithaD:** Only you'd say something like that J. Alright, I'll trust you on this. I'll call you or text you later. XOXO.

 

Bucky watched as Steve's girl smiled at whatever message she'd received. She typed a response and then closed her laptop. “Sorry, talking to my younger cousin.”

 

“'S no problem Doll.”

 

“Why now?”

 

“Broke my programming a while back. Been on my own until I could get who I was straight in my mind.”

 

“Programming?”

 

“Hydra brainwashed me,” he said in a tone that clearly said he didn't wanna talk any further on the subject.

 

A tone that really didn't faze Darcy Lewis (soon to be Rogers). “Hydra as in the Nazis? I thought Steve and the Commandos took them out. He killed Red Skull.”

 

“Cut off one head,” he responded trailing off.

 

“Shit. Tony and Steve need to know this.”

 

“Tony?”

 

“Anthony Stark. Howard eventually married and had a child. Tony's married. His wife's the CEO of Stark Industries. I'm the Director of Public Relations for SI and of the Avengers Initiative. Tony, as he goes by, is more commonly known as Iron Man.”

 

“I get the feeling you're more than that Doll.”

 

She looked up from her phone (she was texting Tony a mile a minute). “Tony's uncle and my aunt were married. So yeah, we're kinda family. He might be annoying as hell at times but he's the big brother I never had.”

 

“'S how I always felt about Steve. He was my brother.”

 

“He's missed you,” she said giving him a soft reassuring smile as she reached across the table. “Never quite got over it.”

 

“Is he okay”

 

She laughed. “He's, um, adjusted to the 21 st  Century as best he can. Still a superhero fighting crime. Cept he does it with a bunch of other superheroes. Oh and we're engaged,” she declared holding up her left hand.

 

“That's his Ma's ring,” he said softly, his tone wistful.

 

She smiled brightly nodding. “I cried hysterically when he gave it to me. Turns out Aunt Peggy had all of his stuff in storage.”

 

“Peggy? Peggy Carter?”

 

She nodded. “Mine and Tony's godmother. Practically raised us. Everyone's favorite Battle Axe is alive and kicking at the ripe old age of 95. Still sharp as a tack and keeping all of us in line. Lives a few blocks from the Avengers Tower but only because she refuses to live in what she calls a _fraternity house for wayward superheroes with parental issues and varying degrees of post traumatic stress disorder_.”

 

Bucky laughed because he could see Peggy saying something like that. Woman had a sharp tongue and incredible wit. One of the things he'd always liked about her.

 

They were interrupted as a blonde man approached from behind Darcy. While he wasn't overtly threatening, he was clearly there to protect her. He kissed the side of her head as he sat down casually beside her. She smiled widely and poked his side good naturedly. “I told Tony I was fine,” she grumbled with a grin.

 

“Be that as it may Sparky,” he said with a grin of his own. “We're all a little too partial to ya to take chances. And if Steve caught wind of the fact that I knew and didn't come to check on you, well, let's just say that I'd rather not consider the consequences. Sides that, Tasha told me to come down. She said to tell you she'd help Tony get things settled.”

 

She nodded. “That woman is so freakin perceptive it's scary. Bucky Barnes meet Clint Barton.”

 

–

 

**Present Time: In which the Avengers learn that Darcy and Tony are kinda sorta related......but not......well maybe.......**

**(Even though a few kinda already knew....)**

 

It was a typical Tuesday night (well as typical as it could get for a group of intergalactic super heroes and their companions) in the Avengers tower. Tuesdays were family dinner night – a tradition started by Tony just after the group moved in three years ago. Meaning that everyone (including Pepper, Jane, Erik, Darcy and Bucky [in spite of the fact that the spysassin was doing his very best impression of a recluse – but that didn't stop Tony from trying....and it was starting to work]) was required to attend.

 

Usually after dinner, they broke out the board, dance, video, card games and went to town for the rest of the night. Tony, Steve,Thor, Bucky, and Clint were in the middle of a game of Texas Hold 'Em (Bucky was kicking some serious ass – his poker face was epic....). Bruce and Erik were playing Scrabble. Darcy, Jane, Pepper and Natasha were on their second bottle of wine, cracking each other up with an increasingly raucous game of Cards Against Humanity (complete of course with the both of the Avengers Expansion Packs).

 

Jarvis interrupted the fun. “Sir, a young woman and a child just appeared in the private lobby. The child is asking for both you and Ms. Lewis. She appears to be extremely agitated.”

 

Tony and Darcy shot each other a look across the room. Pepper and Jane looked up knowing what the pair was thinking. Steve froze as his eyes locked on his fiance.

 

“Did the woman say what her name is J Man?” Darcy asked wondering if it was who they thought it was.

 

“I'm afraid that she appears to be injured and having a difficulty speaking. The child is injured as well, however her injuries appear to be superficial. She is speaking for both herself and the woman.”

 

Without another word, Tony, Steve, Pepper, Darcy and Jane stopped what they were doing and ran for the elevator. Darcy was in such a hurry, she jumped over the back of the couch (in a move that on any other day would've made Clint, Natasha and Bucky proud). Tony made a mad dash the likes of which none of them had ever seen before.

 

The rest of the group quickly followed suit wanting to know what was going on. No one had ever seen Tony or Darcy act this way and it was really freaking them out.

 

As the elevator doors closed on all its occupants, it sounded like the set up for a bad joke: a Hulk, three scientists, a super soldier, two spysassins, an archer, a Norse god, a PR rep, a corporate CEO, and a billionaire walk in an elevator......

 

Any other time, it would've been a contest to see who would out snark who with the jokes. But now, in this moment, the tension was palpable.

 

The whole way down, Tony kept punching the lobby button. “Jarvis, can't we punch it?”

 

“I'm afraid not Sir.”

 

Darcy was bouncing on her heels hovering in front of the door. Steve put his hand on her back in an effort to sooth her. But it was to no avail. “C'mon J, pick up the speed just a bit please?”

 

“As I told Sir, I cannot alter the speed of the elevator Ms. Lewis.”

 

“Who is it that we think is down there?” Clint queried from behind his friends.

 

She turned and looked up at him. “Remember I told you about my cousin Jenny and her little girl Sansa?”

 

He nodded.

 

“It could only be them. They're the only family Tony and I have in common. No one else would be asking for both of us at the same. At least I don't think so.”

 

Steve frowned. “I thought they were away Darce?”

 

“Last we knew they were.”

 

“Something's not right,” Tony said, his expression full of worry.

 

Clint looked between them in confusion. “Wait, family in common?”

 

“Marielena Lewis, my aunt, married Kristian Stark, Tony's uncle and they subsequently had two kids: our cousins Faolan and Jenny. Our aunt, uncle and Jenny's best friend slash baby daddy Alsander were all killed when they were hit head on by a drunk driver a few days after her 18th birthday. Jenny was thrown from the car but somehow escaped with very little physical injury. A few months later, Faolan was declared KIA after his unit was attacked in the Middle East. She's been on her own ever since.”

 

“Not for lack of trying on my part though,” Tony murmured. “I've been trying to get her to move in with me since then. Especially after she had Sansa.”

 

“And we've both been trying to get her to move here for over a year now.”

 

It felt as if it took forever for the elevator to reach the ground floor. In reality it only took maybe a few minutes.

 

When the doors opened, nothing could've prepared Darcy and Tony (or the rest of the team) for what they saw.

 

There was a woman slumped on one of the couches with a crying little girl next to her. She was bleeding from wounds to her head, shoulder, stomach and both thighs. Her neck had dark and angry purple hand prints wrapped all the way around. As did her arms in multiple places. Her left eye was black (not to mention swollen shut) and her right eye didn't look much better. She was breathing but it was clearly shallow. Her head lolled to the side as she fell in and out of consciousness.

 

The little girl had a black eye and cuts up her left arm. Her left wrist looked pretty swollen. But all in all, she was in far better shape.

 

The second she laid eyes on Tony and Darcy, she made a beeline for them.

 

Darcy bent down and caught the crying four year old in her arms. “Aunt Darcy,” Sansa sobbed into her shoulder. “The bad guys hurt us. Mommy used her powers to get us outta there.”

 

The words the little girl used had Bucky, Steve and Clint all looking at each other. 'Powers' Steve mouthed to his best friends. Both shrugged not knowing what was going on.

 

“It's okay Sansa Girl. Aunt Darcy's got you. You're safe.” Tears welled in her eyes as she looked her little cousin over. The state that both she and Jenny were in told her all she needed to know. She gently rocked Sansa back and forth as she carefully smoothed her hair down.

 

Not waiting for anyone else's approval, Natasha and Bruce ran for the woman to see what they could do for her.

 

Tony meanwhile, knelt down his eyes looking over her form in horror. “Jenny?”

 

“Tone,” she responded hoarsely, unable to open her eyes. “Hurts,” she rasped as she bowed in pain - the agony written all over her face. She was covered in a macabre collection of bullet wounds, bruises, cuts, abrasions and shit, were those bites?

 

“Shhhh don't try to talk,” Bruce said as he examined her.

 

“Tony,” Natasha said pulling him out of his daze, “we need to get her upstairs. Those wounds aren't through and throughs; and she might be bleeding internally.”

 

He nodded, his expression frightful, as he slid his arms under her as gently as he could.

 

She cried out but managed to weakly wrap her arms around his neck.

 

Tony turned towards the elevator. “Jarvis, get Doc Cho to meet us in medical stat!”

 

“Yes Sir.”

 

Darcy stood with a still sobbing Sansa clinging her to like a baby monkey.

 

The group followed as the pair stepped into the elevator with their younger cousins.

 

–

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love :)


	2. The Sass is Strong with This One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we learn a bit more about the Stark girls.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say that I heart Bucky big time....

_ **Two hours later....** _

 

Bucky watched as Steve held Darcy. She'd fallen asleep against him, exhaustion evident on her face. She'd been pacing back and forth ever since Doctor Cho and her team had taken the girls away. As much as they all understood her reasoning for not letting any of them in while she was treating the pair, Darcy and Tony protested....quite loudly. It had been Steve, Jane and Pepper who'd managed to talk them down from staging a coup. Tony sat in a chair with his head in his hands as Pepper rubbed his back. Darcy was yanked onto one of the couches by her fiance. Wordlessly, he pulled her into his arms and she sobbed into his chest. After what seemed like forever, she'd finally cried herself to sleep.

 

“The first time I met Jenny,” Steve piped up with the ghost of a smile on his face, “she scared me a little.”

 

Jane chuckled. “I remember that. The look on your face was priceless Steve. But don't lie, she scared you a lot, Which is saying something cause you made the conscious decision to marry Darcy. And I mean that in the most loving way possible.”

 

Steve, very maturely stuck his tongue out at her making the group smile. Jane winked in response.

 

“What transpired?” Thor asked with interest. He silently hoped that encouraging the conversation would ease some of the tension in the room.

 

“Darcy, Steve and I went to the brownstone that Jenny's parents had in Brooklyn for dinner. You guys were in DC that night I think. Some meeting with some Senators or something or other.”

 

“It was actually a State dinner with the President,” Tony replied with a smirk. “But toe-may-to, toe-ma-to and all that jazz.”

 

“Hey,” Jane giggled. “Science is my thing. You know beyond you guys, the gossip in this tower and Science, I pay attention to nothing.”

 

“So what'd she do that was so scary Punk?” Bucky queried, picking up on Thor's idea and nodding to him across the room.

 

His grin widened. “As soon as Darce knocked on the door, Jenny answered. Before she even said a word, I was speechless. She was not at all what I was expecting. Tiny little thing, bright welcoming smile, mischief in her eyes with a bunch of tattoos and piercings. Darce blamed her love of ink on Jenny and it made sense once I saw her. I guess I kinda expected different knowing she was half Stark.”

 

“I don't know if I should be offended or not,” Tony remarked with a grin.

 

“It was a compliment to Jenny. Believe me.”

 

Tony put his hand to his chest in mock outrage. “Was I just insulted by an American Icon?”

 

Pepper, Steve, and Natasha rolled their eyes.

 

Jane laughed and chose not to acknowledge Tony in favor of continuing the story. She had a soft spot for Jenny. A huge soft spot. The first time Darcy had introduced her, Jenny started yelling about insane scientists and their inability to care for themselves properly. " _Doc, you've got enough baggage for a Boeing 747 under those pretty eyes of yours. Go take a shower and rest. No less than five hours or I will tie you to the bed and give you a sedative. Trust me, this way is more peaceful for all of us. I'd prefer neither of us end up with bruises. I'll make you something that isn't a granola bar or Pop Tart when you wake up. I promise I'll let you Science some more later."_ To Darcy and Erik's amazement, she listened, even faster than she normally did for Darcy. She quickly came to see the diminutive (and incredibly bossy) young woman as a little sister. A much loved little sister.

 

“And in typical Jenny fashion, what left her mouth next was equal parts hysterical and terrifying all at once. Made Steve blush like a tomato right off the bat. Absolutely priceless.”

 

“Oh this I've got to hear,” Clint said with a grin as he sat forward.

 

Steve groaned in embarrassment. “Woulda been nice if someone had at least warned me about her.”

 

Tony grinned as his eyes glinted with mischief. “Hate to break it to ya Cap, but she's a Lewis _and_ a Stark. Isn't that enough of a warning label? She bleeds snark and sarcasm is her oxygen. It's all wrapped up in a deceptively distracting package.”

 

Natasha smiled at the mirth on her friends faces. “What'd she say? It had to be good if Steve's blushing about it even now.”

 

Jane and Pepper chuckled. The former being present for the conversation, the latter had learned about it from Jane and Darcy a few days later.

 

“Jenny opened the door, hugged Darcy and I then shoved us out of the way. With a dirty grin, she looks Steve up and down like he was a piece of meat then winked at Darcy and said _"done good coz. Done real good. That's some crazy beautiful wrapped up in a sinfully good looking package. A lil too pretty for me. But if he wasn't yours, I'd at least take him for a test drive. Moving up in the world defiling a national icon on the regular and he put a ring on it? I whole-heartedly approve. I dare say I'm even slightly envious."_ I about damn near died from laughter as Steve choked. Darcy did her little cackle and hugged Jenny again.”

 

“And then Jenny hugged me. She patted my chest and said _'"S okay Stevie Boy. You'll get used to me. We're gonna be family. So ya got no choice. An just so ya know, I wasn't kidding about the pretty thing. But you're also pretty taken so I mean nothin by it. Darce did tell me you can be a sassy little shit just like the rest of us when ya want so I'd appreciate a little more enthusiasm from you next time."_ Then she went to go check on dinner like it never happened.”

 

“We're keeping her right?” Clint asked with glee, already plotting where she'd fit in with them. “I haven't even met the girl yet and I like her.”

 

Jane nodded. “I guess you'll like her even more when I tell you that not only does she own all of the Nerf collection, she's modified them to make them better. Including the girls _Rebelle_ line. The bow and crossbow being her faves. She's got some surprisingly scary aim and loves to climb. I have no doubt the two of you will be fast friends.”

 

“Yes,” Clint said with a fist pump.

 

“Just what he needs,” Natasha said as she rolled her eyes. “Someone to encourage his childishness.”

 

“You guys will get a kick out of Sansa too. She was the one who gave Steve the shovel talk,” Jane said with a cackle.

 

“What?” Clint asked with an arched eyebrow. Everyone was grinning, even Steve. “Oh man, we get two of em? This is gonna be great.”

 

Steve shook his head and rolled his eyes at Clint's eagerness. “Oh yeah. There are no words that can do it justice.”

 

“Try anyway,” Bucky said with a grin.

 

Steve's eyes danced with laughter. “That little girl is adorably terrifying just like her Mama. But there's an innocence to it so you can't help but love them.”

 

“How the hell'd that happen?” Tony asked, his head popping up. “And how did I not hear about this before?”

 

Steve chuckled. “After dessert, I took out the trash while the girls were cleaning up. Sansa followed me outside and sat down on the back stoop. With a sweet smile on her face she said " _so you're gonna marry Aunt Darcy right?"_ I nodded and then she says _"Aunt Darcy's my godmother and Mommy and I love her lots. You better love her lots too."_ I told her that I did. Told her I loved her a whole lot. She smiled at me and batted her eyes while she said " _you better love her a whole lot always. Cause Mommy and I don't care if you're Captain America or not. You hurt Aunt Darcy and there'll be problems._ ”

 

Everyone laughed.

 

“What'd you say to that Punk?”

 

“What the hell can ya say to that? She's four. It was not something I'd expect from a four year old! She stood up gestured for me to come give her a hug which I did. Then she said " _good talk. I'm gonna call you Uncle Steve from now on just so you know."_ I told her that was fine. To which she told me that as my first official act as Uncle Steve, I needed to give her a piggy back ride. So I did.”

 

“Yeah,” Tony said nodding. “That's pretty much Sansa and Jenny for you. Protective of their own and loving as all hell. They love adopting strays.”

 

It was then that Doctor Cho came out into the waiting room. “Jennifer is out of surgery. We had to administer a very high dose of anesthesia so she'll be out for at least another couple of hours. Tony, I figured you'd all want to keep her company so she's being moved your recovery suite. Sansa's already there. She's awake for now and asking for you, Darcy, Pepper and Steve.”

 

–

 

_ **Later that night.....** _

 

Sansa and Jenny lay in hospital beds side by side in Tony's recovery room in the medical ward. Sansa had been given something to sleep in order to allow her real rest and decompress from the situation once the adrenaline wore off. But before Doctor Cho had administered the sedative, Darcy, Steve and Tony had been able to speak to the little girl a bit. While she was traumatized, she was alert enough to try and give details to her cousins as if she knew she had crucial information.

 

Once it was clear that Jenny had safely come out of surgery, Pepper managed to drag Tony upstairs so he could take a shower and change. He was incredibly frazzled between the shock of their sudden appearance and the lack of sleep. It didn't help that he still had Jenny's blood all over him.

 

Thor, Jane, and Clint had gone to get Starbucks for the group. Natasha and Sam (who had come back from a date in the middle of the melee – Bucky called him) were making 'discreet' phone calls to see if anyone useful had any information. Bruce was in the lab with Erik and Doctor Cho analyzing the blood samples they'd taken from the girls. It was shaping up to be a long night. Darcy and Steve flopped down into two of the chairs between Jenny and Sansa's beds.

 

“You okay Darce?” Bucky queried as he watched his best friend's fiance.

 

She shook her head sadly. “From what we got from Sansa, they were kidnapped a little over two weeks ago. Jenny fought hard but they were eventually able to overpower her. They were brought to some kind of warehouse after traveling by van. There was a doctor there that wasn't Brazilian. She said he sounded like he had an Eastern European accent. He injected them with all kinds of things. She swears she heard the word serum multiple times. She said that the doctor had a pin that had a skull with octopus tentacles on it.”

 

“Hydra?” Bucky asked as he sat on the other side of Jenny's bed. His fingers itched to move the hair out of her face. It was the craziest thing, while he'd never met her before, his subconscious was screaming at him to protect what was his. _Have to speak to Tash when she gets back,_ he thought, _it doesn't make sense._

 

Not that he'd tell Darcy or Steve that. They'd probably go ballistic if he touched her. Darcy was even more protective of the pair than she was of her scientists (even Tony). Steve, by extension (because they were family to his fiance and because they'd be family to him eventually......and also because that was just Steve), was protective of them as well.

 

The pair nodded grimly.

 

Bucky's expression matched theirs. “I hate to ask,” he said as he swallowed thickly, feeling pressure in his chest. “Was she?”

 

Darcy shook her head, her expression somewhat relieved. “Thankfully no. Small mercies is what Grandma Lewis used to say.”

 

“Definitely is Doll,” he said softly as he released a breath he didn't realize he was holding in. Hydra wasn't exactly known for being nice. He knew that all too well.

 

Steve stood up and began pacing, the disgust was evident in his expression. His jaw was tight as he answered. “Sansa said that they kept testing them, mostly strength and endurance stuff. But the last coupla days had been all about testing Jenny's pain threshold. All of Sansa's injuries were from her fighting the guards who were holding her back. They kept her in the next room as three guys beat, stabbed, shocked and all around tortured Jenny within inches of her life.”

 

Bucky bit back the bile in his throat as he glanced at the beautiful little girl. She had at the very least heard, if not seen her mother's abuse. That was some heavy shit. “Fucking hell.”

 

“She said that she and Jenny had developed strength and abilities within days of the injections they were given. After the last beating, they chucked her in with Sansa. Jenny used what little energy she had to get them here, where she knew they'd be safe,” Darcy said as tears pooled in her eyes.

 

“Helen says that she's healing at an extremely accelerated rate. Like as fast as you or I would,” Steve said as he sat down beside Sansa's bed. He gently brushed some of the little girl's hair off of her face. “Sansa's almost completely healed Buck. Her black eye, the bruises and cuts look like they're days and weeks old not hours. Even if it wasn't the exact same serum we have, it's pretty damn close.”

 

“An how's she mentally?”

 

“She's doing pretty well considering. From what I've heard her saying to Darcy, they were able to do things before they were taken.”

 

“Whaddaya mean do things?”

 

“It wouldn't surprise me,” Tony said as he and Pepper entered the room. He grabbed a chair and pulled it up to Jenny before sitting down and reaching for his cousin's hand and kissing it. “Since she was really little, she just kind of always seemed to know things. Like she'd be able to repeat parts of a conversation she wasn't there for. Or she'd tell us about dreams that she had and then later the things she dreamt about would actually happen. And thinking back on it, Faolan did that shit a lot too. Whatever Hydra gave her probably enhanced it further.”

 

“Like Tasha?”

 

“No,” he said shaking his head negatively. “More than Red. Way more. Aunt Mari would always tell her to stop whenever she'd try to tell anyone about something that was gonna happen. She was afraid of it. Like full on terrified. Which you could just tell hurt Jenny. Uncle Kris was the complete opposite though.”

 

Darcy nodded, her expression far away and thoughtful. “Uncle Kristian would always encourage her to speak up. Told her that God gave her a gift and she should never let anyone smother it not even our aunt. She told me I was gonna meet Jane a full year before I did.”

 

Pepper smiled softly at her husband as she held Jenny's other hand. “The first time I met her, she gave me a hug and whispered in my ear that one day I was gonna marry Tony. She said it was our little secret because I had to learn that Tony was a good guy for myself. Her exact words were, _"he might come off as a dick, but that's because it's his way of protecting his heart_ ”

 

“That's what had you so spooked that day,” he said with a wink.

 

She nodded with a loving smile. “She was right.”

 

Tony smiled back and winked. “She's pretty much always been dead on with what she says. From what she's told me over the years, sometimes it's feelings other times it's full blown visions that come to her when she's awake or asleep. She cried the day she realized she'd outlive Alsander. She had to be 10 or 11 I think at that point. Locked herself in her room for two days, and I was the only one she told. She thought everyone else would be angry with her. I remember telling her that it didn't mean he wouldn't live to be older, it just meant that she'd probably live longer than him by a day or something. We didn't talk about it again until after Al died. But the one that freaked everyone out the most was when she was on her fifth birthday, she wandered into the living room and told Aunt Peggy that neither of you were dead. Her exact words were _"Cap and Buck haven't reached the end of the line yet._ ”

 

“Holy shit,” Bucky said glancing at his best friend. Steve for his part, looked a little pale as he held Darcy's hand.

 

“Yeah, Aunt Peg fainted and Dad looked like he'd seen a ghost. When Uncle Jim asked her where she got that from, she said it came to her when she opened the freezer because both of you were cold.”

 

“And she's been able to do that her whole life?”

 

“Pretty much,” Darcy said as she held Sansa's hand with the one she had free. “Sasa's got it too. There's been things she's said that she couldn't possibly know. Grandma Lewis used to say that it was inherited through our bloodline. She called it magic. Said it was because we were descendants of some Gypsy tribe.”

 

“And do you believe that?”

 

“Honestly, when you're surrounded by gods, super soldiers, and a clairvoyant spysassin, it's hard not to. If all of that can exist, why can't magic? Jenny always believed she was given her gifts for a reason. I don't doubt it. If I believe in nothing else, I believe in her.”

 

“Ditto, cause this conversation is starting to get full of feels and we all know how uncomfortable that makes me,” Tony said with a grin which made Darcy and Pepper giggle. Bucky and Steve rolled their eyes good naturedly.

 

–

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love :)


	3. Jaime and Jenn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit more about Jenny Stark....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While Jenny's behavior might seem a little OOC given what she's been through, bear in mind she's also grateful to have escaped. The trauma that she's been through will set in eventually. But everyone deals with trauma differently.
> 
> And again, I totally heart Bucky....

_ **The following afternoon....** _

 

Bucky paced his living room as Steve and Darcy sat on the couch watching him. Steve recognized the fierce determination in his best friend's eyes. Natasha watched as they debated back and forth the merits of Bucky helping Jenny.

 

Tony lay on the opposite couch with Sansa sleeping on his chest. They all spoke softly for fear of waking the little girl. She'd already been released from medical and had been clinging to Tony, Pepper, Darcy, Jane and Steve. They'd been passing her back and forth all morning. It'd taken a while, but she'd worn herself out and was currently blissfully unaware of the discussion going on around her.

 

“What I'm trying to say is we don't know what we're in for when she wakes up. I'm not saying we're not gonna take care of her. Her and Sansa, they're ours now. Jenny's one of us and I'm not just saying that because she's Tony and Darce's cousin. I feel it in my gut. She's meant to be here like Tasha said.”

 

“So then what's the problem Punk?”

 

“Christ Buck, it took what six months on your own and then six months with us before you were even remotely comfortable in your own skin? What do you think's gonna happen with her?”

 

“I dunno.”

 

“Buck, I get it. I really do. You're probably the only one that'll be able to understand what she went through. But is it a good idea to go digging in someone else's head when you just got back into yours?”

 

Darcy laid a comforting hand on Steve's arm. “Baby, I'm concerned for Bucky too but we can't make his decisions for him. If he wants to help Jenny then let him. She's gonna need all the help she can get I think. And Sansa, well they say it takes a village and all that.”

 

When he'd first come looking for Steve, she'd been the one he talked to first. What neither of them knew, was that in order to be sure she didn't screw things up, she'd called Jenny for help. Jenny was the one who talked her and Tony through every step of the way. Gave her ideas and suggestions so that they could help him and not scare him away. The only one who knew that was Sam. And that was only because he called them on it. 

 

It seemed oddly appropriate that he (unknowingly) wanted to return the favor.  Who was she to stop him?

 

“Thanks Darce,” Bucky said as he winked at her. “Punk, I think I'll be fine. It might even help me exorcise a few more demons of my own. Sides that, she's among family. We're not gonna let her hit rock bottom the way I did. At least not on my watch.”

 

“She won't,” Natasha said, finally speaking up. “She'll flourish with you. With us. They both will.”

 

Bucky winked at her. The fact that she said _you_ before _us_ wasn't lost on him.

 

“Is that a feeling or?” Tony trailed off as he looked down at Sansa asleep in his arms.

 

She bent down next to him and stroked Sansa's hair before kissing her forehead softly. “I've seen it Tony. They're going to do great things. They're are exactly what we need and vice versa. Big things are on the horizon.”

 

“Good, bad or indifferent?”

 

“A lot of good. More so than we're used to,” she said as she cuddled up to Clint. “And no that doesn't mean it's a set up for something bad either.”

 

“You sure?”

 

“I called it with James didn't I?”

 

Tony, Darcy, Steve, Clint and Bucky all nodded.

 

“So then what are we all worried about?”

 

Bucky smiled smugly at his friends.

 

Clint and Steve both rolled their eyes.

 

Tony waved them off as he started drifting, joining Sansa in the land of slumber.

 

–

 

_ **Later that night....** _

 

Now that it was quiet and everyone was asleep, Bucky snuck back in to see her. He'd been waiting for the opportunity. If someone asked, he couldn't say why. Instinct was simply telling him that he needed to be there with her. And if it was one thing he learned not to ignore these days, it was going with his gut. It was, after all, what had led him back to Steve and recovering his memories.

 

_(When they'd discuss it somewhere down the line, Jenny would tell him it was the Powers that Be doing what needed to be done. That the Fates had plans for them and it wasn't their job to question it. He'd scoff but secretly he believed it too. After all, he couldn't see any other way the Avenging Angel would have ever crossed his path. He vowed to spend the rest of his life thanking them every day for her.)_

 

Jennifer (or Jenny as Darcy, Steve, Pepper, Jane and Tony kept calling her) was small in stature, but even under the blankets, he could tell she had luscious curves like Darcy. _Guess that's the Lewis genes._ He guessed that the younger woman probably only reached his shoulders, if that. Having glimpsed them two nights before in pictures Darcy and Tony had shown him, he knew she had incredible eyes. Cerulean with a ring of jade in the middle. A color he'd never seen before. It captivated him. She was fair skinned, ever fairer than Steve when he was sick.

 

She had a plethora of tattoos. Apparently, she was the one who got Darcy addicted to them. Her left arm from her wrist to her shoulder was covered in ink. She had eight earrings in each ear, a small stud (that matched her eyes) in her nose and a metal ball (that also matched her eyes) in her tongue. Tony (while rolling his eyes and mumbling about her obsession with shiny metal) had told Doc Cho to leave the piercings in because Jenny would have a heart attack if she woke up without them.

 

Her hair was long and crimson. Mixed in were black, royal purple, hunter green and royal blue. On her right hand was a claddagh ring with the tip of the heart facing out (he knew that it meant she didn't belong to anyone – Steve's mother had told them about the rings and their significance when they were kids). The stone in the heart matched the ones in her nose and tongue. Her nails were perfectly manicured and were curved somewhat (Pepper and Natasha had someone come in and fix her nails – most of them had been broken when she arrived – from fighting back he surmised). They were painted gunmetal gray with pink, white and black designs on them (her favorite colors according to Tony). Any longer and those claws would probably be considered weapons (he briefly thought that Natasha would be proud). While Jennifer Stark was not what would be considered conventionally beautiful in his time, she was breathtaking in her own right.

 

“Hi,” she said softly as she sat up. It wasn't the first time she'd woken up today, but it was definitely the most interesting. _Interesting? Yeah that's what we'll go with for the moment._

 

The Winter Solder himself, James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes was standing at the foot of her bed. And damn was he ridiculously beautiful. _He's not even just hot, he's h-a-w-t with a capital H. Goddess Bless I could lick every friggin inch of him._ She resisted the urge to fan herself. He was wearing a dark gray (her favorite color) wife beater and dark wash jeans that hugged his delicious form perfectly. She found herself fascinated by his left arm. Since she was a child she'd always had an affinity for shiny metal things. _Thus the reason I have so many piercings._ His hair was pulled back so she could see his chiseled features. His face was slightly scruffy which she found sexy as hell. _Goddess Bless, this man is gorgeous._

 

Natasha (did she mention she quite liked the Black Window a lot) had been the one to explain who Bucky was. Not that she wouldn't have recognized him from the history books or anything. Or known from the conversations with Darcy and Tony.... but then again none of them really needed to know that. At least not yet. She told her that though he was somewhat reclusive at times (he was still re-acclimating), she'd find a kindred spirit in him since he too was an escaped Hydra experiment. Apparently he'd been with the Avengers for about ten months (again, she played dumb a bit) after regaining his memories and seeking out Steve. She could still see some of the demons in his eyes. But it didn't scare her one bit. Quite the opposite actually.

 

“Hi,” he murmured in response. It startled him that he'd completely missed the fact that she'd woken up. He watched as she rubbed the sleep from her captivating eyes.

 

She smiled tenderly at him. “Please sit, you're making me nervous.”

 

“Sorry Doll,” he murmured softly as he pulled up the chair beside her bed and sat down.

 

“'S okay, my nerves are kinda shot at tha moment. Please don't take it personal if I'm jumpy.” she replied her accent slipping through.

 

“Is that a Brooklyn accent I hear,” he found himself asking without missing a beat.

 

She nodded smiling. “Ya got me. Born and raised in Sheepshead Bay. Ya can take the girl outta Brooklyn but ya can't take Brooklyn outta the girl.”

 

“No shit Doll,” he said with a wink and a crooked grin.

 

 _That grin should be considered a weapon._ She stuck out her hand as she winked right back. “You must be James.”

 

He grasped her tiny hand in his. “And you're Jennifer.”

 

He laughed at the face she made. “Not Jennifer please. I'm only ever Jennifer when I'm in trouble.”

 

“Anyone ever call you Jenn?”

 

She shook her head. “Believe it or not, I've always been Jenny to everyone but my mother. But I kinda like it.”

 

“Then that's what I'm gonna call you Doll.”

 

 _There's that grin again._ “Anyone ever call you Jaime?”

 

“No, but I kinda like it.”

 

With that, the pair smiled at each other widely.

 

_Years later, that would be the moment that Jenny (Jenn to Bucky) and Bucky (Jaime to Jenny) would point to as the beginning of their second (well third actually but it was a long story) chance at life. The day their respective slate was wiped clean (her) and ledger put back in the green (him)._

 

–

 

Reviews are love :)


	4. Of Princesses and Dragons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Clint receives a new nickname....

Jenny was in the middle of a conversation with Darcy and Natasha, with Bruce occasionally chiming in, when Clint dropped into the room from the ventilation shaft.

 

A giggle of mirth spilled from her lips. “Oh this is too easy,” she said with a grin as she clapped her hands. “I shall call thee Gus Gus.”

 

Darcy and Tasha cackled. Bruce hid his grin behind his magazine. Clint, well Clint looked completely flabbergasted. “Why?”

 

“Because my dear archer, mice crawl around in ventilation shafts and ducting.”

 

His pout was priceless. “Gus Gus?”

 

“Gus Gus,” she said with a nod. _Yeah, I just gave Tony, Bruce and Steve some new fodder._

 

“No getting outta it huh?” _Tony is never gonna let that go once he hears it._

 

“Not a chance my love. But on the bright side, it could be worse.”

 

“How's that?” he asked with a frown.

 

She smiled sympathetically. “I coulda gone with a rat or an even sillier mouse. Ya know like Fievel. Which would of course have lead to Darce and I constantly singing _'Somewhere Out There'._ At least I gave you the one who helps a future princess. And in my defense, you jumped right into it. Like literally,” she responded.

 

“What about Pinky and the Brain?” Clint asked grasping at straws.

 

Jenny chuckled as she shook her head negatively. “Dude, no.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Cause from what I hear, that'd make you Pinky.”

 

“What!?!”

 

“Oh c'mon Dude. Natasha would so be the Brain,” Darcy chimed in as she giggled.

 

Jenny nearly choked as she muttered, “what're we gonna do today Brain?”

 

“The same thing we do every day Pinky,” Natasha deadpanned. “Try and take over the world.”

 

All three girls burst into laughter. Clint failed miserably at trying not to laugh with them.

 

“Oh my Gods,” Jenny said as tears of laughter fell down her porcelain cheeks. “I'm so keeping you. You're all kinds of awesome.” She stuck out her fist for Natasha to bump.

 

Which she did with a wide smile. Natasha had quickly found herself becoming very fond of the two youngest Starks. They were a breath of fresh air in the Avengers world of heroic chaos.

 

While Jenny and Sansa had the same snark, sarcasm and wit that Tony and Darcy possessed, they were also warm, friendly and incredibly accepting (not to say that Darcy and Tony weren't as well – it was just that Jenny and Sansa seemed to give it more freely than their cousins).

 

Qualities that their group (aka wonderfully dysfunctional family) needed in spades. Without a doubt, the girls would blend in just fine. It was a sense of belonging that she knew Jenny needed more so than Sansa. The little girl had already proved herself incredibly adaptable to change.

 

She eagerly awaited seeing how the dynamic between Jenny and Bucky would play out. There wasn't a doubt in her mind (even without the intuition telling her), that the pair would quickly become irrevocably intertwined with each other. Something Bucky hadn't seem to know he needed until Jenny arrived. And from what Darcy, Tony, Steve, Pepper, Jane and Erik had told her, Jenny desperately wanted.

 

“Funny,” Clint said as he flopped down on end of the bed beside Jenny's legs. “Mouth said the exact same thing the first time she met Tasha.”

 

Jenny then held out her fist to Darcy. Much to the chagrin of their friends, the pair made an exploding noise when they bumped fists.

 

“And I said it the first time I met Pep,” Tony declared as he wandered in and sat down on the other side of Jenny, snatching the remote from Clint.

 

Clint of course, let out a gasp of mock outrage and did his best to look put out.

 

Natasha rolled her eyes behind her husband's back and then quickly smiled when he turned to face her.

 

Jenny then held her fist out to Tony. “That's cause we rock.”

 

“I'm starting to wonder if Pepper was right,” Bruce said looking up from the issue of _Popular Mechanics_ he was reading.

 

Darcy, Jenny and Tony all spoke at the same time. “About?”

 

“Wow that's creepy,” Clint mumbled under his breath.

 

To which Bruce rolled his eyes. “That having Tony, Darcy, Jenny and Sansa all under one roof is just asking for trouble.”

 

“Oh puleeze,” Jenny snorted. “You play innocent far too well. I know all about...” she was cut off as Tony and Darcy slapped their hands over her mouth.

 

“Secrets don't make friends,” Clint said in a sing-song voice wanting to know what Jenny had been about to say.

 

Bruce snickered at the archer and winked at Jenny.

 

“Fine, fine,” she sighed as she pried her cousin's hands from her mouth. “I won't tell a soul.”

 

Bruce snorted. “That might be a bit more believable if you weren't a Stark or a Lewis. But the fact that you're both kills it.”

 

“Hey!” Tony and Darcy declared in unison. “I resemble that remark.”

 

“You wound me Doc,” Jenny said faking hurt. She patted her chest over her heart with her fist. “It hurts me right here,” she sniffled, feigning wiping away tears with her other hand.

 

The room went silent for a moment before Tony, Darcy and Jenny dissolved into laughter.

 

Steve, Sam and Bucky happened to walk in at that moment. “Didn't I tell you that we're in for it now?” he asked Bruce as he sat in the chair beside him.

 

“Star-Spangled Man with a Plan say what?” Jenny asked into between giggles.

 

Which of course sent Darcy into another fit of laughter.

 

Bucky winked at Jenny when he caught her eye. He was genuinely glad to see her smiling. _She's so beautiful,_ he thought to himself.

 

Jenny just barely resisted the urge to fan herself.

 

Just. Barely.

 

If anyone had called her on it, she would've blamed it on still feeling weak.

 

Yeah, that sounded believable.....

 

Right?

 

 

–

 

_ **Three days later....** _

 

Jenny had been released from medical on the condition that she take it easy for at least a few weeks. While her visible injuries were all but healed, Doc Cho surmised that using the transportation ability had nearly overloaded her system - especially considering up until she used it, she'd only theorized that she'd be capable of it. She was incredibly weak and needed to regain her strength. For that reason, there was still an IV port in her left hand. She would, for the next two weeks be receiving daily specially mixed IV nutrient treatments. Her stubborn protests fell on deaf ears.

 

Tony being Tony, had already had a floor set up for them. In typical Tony fashion, he'd gone all out. Like seriously all out. Like made her jaw drop, wanna smack him but hug him at the same time all out. _He's insane. Incredibly crazy but awesomely insane._

 

The apartment spanned the 69th and 70th floors. It took up half of both with Darcy and Steve's place occupying the other half.

 

The elevator opened up to a walkway that had a view of the floor below. It was a two floor living space. The six bedrooms were on the top floor.

 

Oddly enough, when Tony had shown him, Bucky had taken one look at it and declared that he was snatching up a bedroom. As much as he had been happy to be reunited with Steve, he needed space as well. Normally, something like that would've bugged Tony (considering the space was meant for Jenny and Sansa), but he was strangely okay with it (especially after Natasha whispered whatever it was that she did that day – Jenny only knew all this because Clint liked to gossip).

 

She was _totally_ more than okay with it. Like there wasn't quite a word for just how okay with it she was.

 

She wanted to stick her tongue out at Natasha when she grinned and arched her eyebrow in that knowing way.

 

Darcy and Steve pretended (the latter failing miserably) not to notice the exchange.

 

Clint had grinned like a fool until Natasha smacked him upside the head. As was usually the case, Jenny was quickly coming to find out.

 

So for the last ten months, Bucky had been the only occupant of the space.

 

If she'd only known what - _who_ \- she'd been missing in all that time she'd been protesting about moving in. _Hindsight is 20-20 and all that jazz._

 

The floors were done in dark cherry hardwood. There was a massive living room with a huge charcoal gray sectional couch that could easily fit 20-30 people that formed ¾ of a square. In the middle of the square was a large black plush area rug. It was facing the wall where a 90” flat screen TV hung. There were stairs on either side of the landing leading up to where they were. A floor to ceiling bookshelf was built into the east wall along the stairs.

 

There was a dining room area in the back left corner. The table was huge. Two sides were a booth and the other two had chairs. The seating could easily accommodate the same amount of people as the couches. The booth and chairs had jewel tone (royal blue, royal purple, hunter green and crimson) colored cushions. The table and chairs themselves were an espresso colored wood.

 

The kitchen, which was to the left of the dining room, had enough counter space to make any celebrity chef jealous. There were java and cappuccino cabinets, granite counter tops, a multicolored stone back splash and commercial grade stainless steel appliances. An island spanned most of the space between the dining room and kitchen. On the side facing the dining room were bar stools. Over the island hung a pot rack filled with high end utensils and a full set of copper pots, pans, and lids. _Damn him for knowing how much I love to cook...._

 

While the set up was opulent (solely for its size), it definitely had a homey feel. Pepper told her that Tony had personally overseen the design and construction. He'd had it finished and waiting for them for a long time now. She cried and laughed at the same time because that kind of presumption from Tony was equal parts obnoxious and endearing.

 

From the kitchen was the entrance to the outdoor terrace. Unlike some of the other floors that had terraces, this one did not have glass panels making up the walls. There was an actual wall approximately 4 ½ feet high and another 2 feet of glass above that. Atop the wall in front of the glass were built in planters filled with black calalillies, fire and ice roses, pink and orange plumeria, and varying colors of moth orchids. _My favorite flowers of course._

 

There was a large porch swing surrounded by a matching (and of course large) patio set all in teak with colored cushions. A stone fire pit sat in the middle. Off to the right side of all of the seating was a built in barbecue. It was a smaller version of the one on the balcony of the common floors. There was a wine cooler, mini fridge and sink surrounding it.

 

Her bedroom was gorgeous. Two of the walls were charcoal gray (her favorite color) and the other was cerise (another of her favorites). The fourth wall consisted of primarily windows (giving her a spectacular view out onto her balcony) but in the middle was a wall that was roughly six feet high and six feet wide. It was covered in cork board. Tony knew she loved to put pictures, things she'd drawn and all kinds of other chotchkies on one of the walls of her bedroom no matter where she was.

 

Her bed was the piece de la resistance so to speak. It was a California king platform bed that had four steps leading up to it. Surrounding was a massive espresso canopy. It was covered in shear curtains in various shades of gray with black and dark pink calalillies (her absolute favorite flower – _Damn you Tony for being so good_ ) on them.

 

The sight of her bedroom made her daughter squeal happily and tackle Tony. He'd done the room up entirely in _Despicable Me_. The Minion paradise looked as if most of the furniture had been custom made. Sansa's favorite. Sansa's absolute favorite....and Tony knew it. She'd jumped onto one of the beds and in the spirit of her favorite line in the original film, declared, “this bed is so cute and fluffy I'm gonna die.” Within seconds, the little girl was sold....

 

Jenny just rolled her eyes good naturedly at her cousin. He wore a satisfied smirk as he kissed Sansa's forehead. He knew that there'd be no saying no after that. Not unless she wanted to deeply disappoint her daughter. _Well played Tony....well played indeed._

 

So needless to say, Sansa was playing in her bedroom with Bucky (Sansa had taken one look at his arm and declared him the coolest person ever! And then in the spirit of her mother, dubbed him Jaime...), Steve and Darcy. Which was just as well, as she wanted her little one to stay happily distracted.

 

Jenny was sitting up (against some crazy comfy body pillows – _dammit Tony, why do you have to know me so freggin well?_ ) in her bed surrounded by Clint, Natasha, Tony and Bruce.

 

“Tone. Can I have your phone for a sec? My burner is gone and my actual phone is at the Belle Terre house,” she asked in a barely audible voice.

 

Tony nodded and handed his phone over, frowning as she took it with shaking hands. He hated how meek Jenny seemed to be in that moment. It was like right now she had two settings: happy and laughing or shaking and scared. While consciously he knew it would take time for her to recover from the trauma she experienced, he still wished that he could take it all away from her. She'd already known far too much heartache at her age.

 

They watched as she fiddled with it, typing away for ten minutes before handing it back with a murmured thanks.

 

Tony pulled up the text messages with a frown. He came across one that didn't make any sense. “You took that long and all you did was text Joey? What is this Lil Bit?”

 

**JMMS S⁴ 234 Rud a tharla ach tá muid slán i measc teaghlach**

**40/7524(1)73/9790(4) Winterfell**

**Tribal Elder**

 

 _What the ???_ Tony was confused as all hell. It was the most nonsensical text message he'd ever seen in his life.

 

They all peeked over his shoulder to see what she'd written.

 

She wrung her hands nervously. “No, first I sent the wipe all memory command to the burner phone. The minute it's turned on, all information will disappear and overload the circuit boards. The text that transmitted is a ghost message. Your carrier will never register the fact that it was sent. I had to find the right server and connect to it before I could send it through. Joey'll receive it but his carrier will never register it either. Think of it kinda like _Get Smart_. As soon as the message is sent and received, the technological trail that it would normally leave self destructs because of the command algorithm attached to it.”

 

Bruce frowned. “Why would you go through all that trouble?”

 

“A message that never existed can never be used against you, can it? If it really was Hydra that had us, I'd rather they didn't have access to our current location. If I learned nothing else from my family it was that a little discretion never hurt anyone.”

 

Tony nodded. “Okay, I get all that but what the hell does it mean?”

 

“JMMS are my initials so he knows it's coming from me. S to the fourth power equals super secret spy shit. Which is our code for any kinda governmental bullshit. Two three four is we are okay. The Irish Gaelic translates to something happened but we're safe among family. The numbers after that are coordinates - latitude and longitude. The 1 in parenthesis means north and the 4 in parenthesis is west. The coordinates for Lower Manhattan. Winterfell is the Tower. Tribal Elder refers to Aunt Peggy. So I just told Joey that....”

 

Clint cut her off not bothering to hide the fact that he was impressed. “That something happened to you girls but you're safe here with Tony. He needs to come here and bring Director Carter.”

 

“Precisely,” she said with a sheepish grin, wringing her hands as she avoided everyone's eyes.

 

“That's a hell of a code,” Natasha told her in a voice that said she approved.

 

Tony nodded with an encouraging smile on his face

 

Jenny blushed and fidgeted, uncomfortable with the scrutiny from her cousin and his friends. _Cue subject change, like now!_

 

“So have ya figured out what they gave me Doc?” She asked as she looked at Bruce.

 

“You said you remembered bright lights right?”

 

“Yeah. And after that, I started feeling stronger.”

 

“We analyzed the blood taken from both you and Sansa. We found an amalgam of the Erskine Serum as well as a variant close to what was used on Bucky. The bright lights you remember were most likely gamma radiation. Looking over your medical records, every injury, every broken bone, fracture or scar you've ever had has healed as if they never happened.”

 

They watched as she felt a spot under her lip, then ran her fingers over a spot on the back of her neck under her hairline, she then looked over the inside of her right wrist. Finally she ran her hand over the back of her left shoulder. She shot Tony a look of confusion.

 

He shrugged his shoulders in response.

 

Wordlessly, she yanked up the side of her tank top. Spanning from the left side of her ribcage and down to her left hip was a black and red dragon tattoo. She examined it closely, running her fingers over the tattoo for a few minutes. “Oh my Gods,” she gasped.

 

Tony looked shocked as well. He looked to Jenny for permission who nodded her head. He ran his hand along the tattoo and their eyes locked with identical expressions of wonder and disbelief.

 

“What?” Clint asked as he, Bruce and Natasha glanced at each other in confusion.

 

“This tat was to cover up the scar from my accident. My side had been pierced by a piece of the SUV's door. I used to have a scar about 8 inches long and about an inch wide there. It's the reason I got that tattoo in the first place. To cover it up. I didn't wanna see a reminder of the accident every time I looked in the mirror.”

 

Tony looked her over as if looking for more changes. “What about her hearing damage?”

 

Bruce shook his head. “Helen said she can find no evidence to show that she ever had hearing or sight impairments in the first place.”

 

“I didn't even realize,” Jenny mumbled. “Tone, I haven't needed my glasses for weeks. I was so focused on the fact that sounds didn't hurt anymore to notice anything else. For years, I've dealt with the fact that my hearing was going and stupid noises hurt. I didn't stop to realize all the changes.” She let out a laugh that sounded happy and hysterical at the same time. “Holy fuck, nothing hurts. I mean not the way it used to. I still feel weak and shit but nothing like how it used to be. Come to think of it, I haven't needed my inhaler or any allergy meds for pretty much the entire time they had me.”

 

Tony couldn't help but grinning at his younger cousin, her happiness was infectious. Clint looked thoughtful and Natasha watched as Bruce frowned.

–

 


	5. Some Days I Feel Broke Inside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky gains some more insight into Jenny Stark's world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title comes from the song 'Hurt' by Christina Aguilera.
> 
> I kinda pictured Kristian Stark as Ed Burns and Marielena Stark as Kate Winslett.

 

After settling into his room for the night, Bucky couldn't stop himself from pulling up whatever he could find on Google regarding Jenny Stark. The storm in Tony and Darcy's eyes as they spoke about their younger cousin spoke volumes. He didn't want to pry, for fear he'd dredge up memories they might not want to recall. After all, he knew better than anyone else that some things are better left dead.

 

But none the less, he needed to know more about Jenny's past. If for no other reason than to understand her more.

 

He came upon three segments from _Entertainment Tonight._ The first was from November of 2009.

 

“ _Kristian Stark, his wife Marielena Lewis-Stark and their daughter's boyfriend Alsander Rumlow died tragically Monday night as their SUV was hit head on by a drunk driver while heading back to their Belle Terre estate. Jennifer Stark, the couple's only daughter, was thrown from the vehicle. She is currently listed in guarded condition at State University Medical Center at Stony Brook where she was air lifted following the crash. Sources close to the family say that Tony Stark is on his way back from Beijing to be by his cousin's side. They also say that Jennifer's uncle, manufacturing mogul, Jason Lewis and his daughter Darcy are on their way to her as well. Alsander's father and Jennifer's godfather, retail magnate Adan Rumlow has been at her bedside all night. Emergency leave is being granted to Lieutenant Colonel Faolan Stark as we speak._

 

_Kristian Stark, youngest son of the late engineering marvel and founder of Stark Industries, Joseph Stark and his wife Catriona, married Marielena Lewis in 1968. Their son Faolan was born later that same year. Jennifer Stark was born in 1991._

 

_In 2001, on the very same day, Kristian's older brother Howard and his wife Maria were killed in a car accident just outside Malibu, California._

 

_Alsander Rumlow was the youngest of the three sons that Adan and Antonia Rumlow had. Antonia Rumlow passed away just after Alsander's birth due to complications. Alsander is survived by his father, and his four brothers._

 

_As more details come in, we'll update you on this terrible tragedy. A joint press release issued by the Stark, Lewis and Rumlow families a few hours ago asks for privacy at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families. Best wishes to Jennifer for a speedy recovery. Kristian Stark was eighty, his wife Marielena was sixty-one and Alsander Rumlow was just nineteen.”_

 

A picture popped up of Jenny standing between her father (Wait a minute this guy was supposed to be in his eighties? He didn't look like he was any older than his late forties?) and a younger dark haired man he could guess was Alsander Rumlow (since the pair were holding hands and laughing – and _Sansa has her Daddy's eyes_ ).

 

Kristian Stark (who bore no resemblance to Howard) had his arm around his daughter and was laughing along with them. Marielena Stark stood off to the side, almost looking uncomfortable and out of place in the photo. It was interesting to note that while Jenny shared her mother's curves as well as her father's smile, she didn't really look like either of her parents much beyond that.

 

There was another segment dated January 25, 2010.

 

“ _The Stark family has suffered another heartbreaking loss this evening. Lieutenant Colonel Faolan Stark, son of Kristian and Marielena, as well as older brother of Jennifer and one of the heirs to the Stark Industries fortune, has been declared killed in action in Afghanistan. The details as of yet are unclear. A little over two months ago, his mother, father and his sister's boyfriend were killed in a car accident. Faolan is survived by his younger sister Jennifer. A press release was issued requesting privacy for the family. Our thoughts and prayers are with Jennifer, Tony and the rest of the Stark and Lewis families at this time. Faolan Stark was forty-one.”_

 

Four different pictures of Faolan Stark, one after the other flashed across the screen.

 

In the first, a younger Faolan Stark stood in Army fatigues holding what appeared to be Jenny at about three or four in his arms. The pair's foreheads were touching as they smiled cheekily. Behind the pair Kristian, Howard and Tony were grinning fondly at them.

 

The second was of Faolan in full dress uniform shaking the hand of President Ellis. It looked as if he'd been receiving some award. Kristian and Jenny stood in the background absolutely beaming with pride. He guessed that Jenny was a teenager in the photo.

 

The third one was of Faolan with Jenny is his arms, brother and sister beaming at the camera as they were dancing. They stood beside a grinning Tony who had Pepper in his. The family was somewhere tropical judging by the background and their attire.

 

Faolan had the same tattoo on his upper left shoulder that Jenny did. A golden dagger through a blood red rose. Matter of fact, most of his upper left arm matched his sister's. He was willing to bet that they had gotten the tattoos together.

 

Bucky noted that Jenny and her brother couldn't have looked more different if they tried. Neither of the Stark children really resembled their parents. Jenny was 5'1, Faolan had to be about 6'5. He had short shaved dark hair and bright green eyes, and was sporting a tan which made him at least five shades darker than his sister. Darcy had said that Faolan took after the Italian part of their background whereas Jenny definitely favored the Irish. Faolan Stark was all height and muscle. He was willing to bet he was even more built than Thor. It looked like he could've probably benched his little sister for fun....with his pinky.

 

Like their father, Faolan aged gracefully. For supposedly being forty-one when he died, he looked to be in his mid-twenties.

 

In the fourth, he was again in his dress uniform standing next to Jenny. The pair held hands as they stood in front of their parents' grave. It was a heartbreaking photo. Faolan stood solemn sentry as tears streamed down his sister's face. He could see that Jenny's hand held onto her brother's in a death grip. While the misery was clear to see in her features, his eyes was where he carried his pain. Peggy, Tony, Pepper, Darcy and her father could be seen in the background, varying degrees of grief on their faces.

 

From what he knew, like Howard, Kristian Stark had been given a full military honors because of his service in the name of his country. While Kristian might not have been as prolific in the media as his brother, he'd been just as involved in the breakthrough projects. Darcy had mentioned that the Vice President and the First Lady had attended the funeral. Alana Ellis had even sat beside Jenny and held her hand through the ceremony.

 

It was very clear that even despite two plus decades between them, Faolan and Jennifer Stark loved each other very much. They reminded him of how he was with Rebecca when she was younger. There'd been eighteen years between him and his baby sister so he understood the dynamics of an age gap that large between a brother and sister.

 

That's why he knew that losing her brother probably hurt more than losing her parents. But to lose them all within months of each other had to have left a hole. A big one at that. _No wonder she's so lost._

 

There was one last segment from March 12, 2010.

 

“ _Finally some exciting news for the Stark family. Jennifer Stark delivered a healthy baby girl she named Sansa via C-section overnight. The normally reclusive heiress posted this pic to her Instagram this morning:”_

 

There was a picture of Jenny sitting in a hospital bed looking tired but happy. She was looking down on Sansa who was asleep on her mother's chest clutching her finger in her tiny hand. She looked identical to Jenny even then save for her raven colored hair. The serene smile on her face and the love in Jenny's eyes for her daughter was breathtaking.

 

“ _She captioned the picture: I know what love at first sight feels like. Up until now, I never thought it was possible for someone so tiny to hold my heart in their hands. Introducing the love of my life: Sansa Stark-Rumlow #soveryblessed #babysansaisfinallyhere #welcometotheworldlittlelove._

 

_We're told that while little Sansa made an appearance nearly six weeks early, mother and baby are doing very well. Baby Sansa's father was Alsander Rumlow, who was killed in a car accident last year along with Kristian and Marielena Stark, Sansa's grandparents. Jennifer Stark, and now it appears little Sansa, were the only survivors. Congratulations to Jenny and the Stark, Lewis and Rumlow families on the new addition.”_

 

Bucky sat and looked at that picture of Jenny and Sansa for what seemed like hours.

 

–

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love :)


	6. Family Portrait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jenny's on a roller coaster and she wants off....Peggy Carter gives some insight in Jenny's past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say writing scenes with a huge ensemble cast is challenging!?! I struggled a bit with this chapter but overall I feel good about it.
> 
> I'm taking a few liberties here: Howard and Maria Stark died in 2001 not 1991. Bucky, even as the Winter Soldier, was not responsible for their deaths. While it may have been initiated by Hydra, he was nowhere near the States when it happened. The events of Iron Man 1 and 2 still occurred. Howard stepped back and gave Obadiah Stane control until Tony was ready. Tony's relationship with his father was tenuous but they mended fences a bit in Howard's later years and after everything that happened in the films. Having more than just his parents changed him as well. Thus making my version of Tony a little different. A little bit more squishy....

_ **The following day....** _

 

As they sat around waiting for Peggy and Joey to arrive, the conversation flowed. During breakfast, the group had filled Jenny in on all things SHIELD and the Avengers. She nodded for the most part as she ate quietly. Tony and Darcy wore matching frowns at her behavior.

 

After breakfast, Jenny, much to everyone's surprise (because she was completely silent – which seemed very out of place on a woman who was equal parts Lewis and Stark) sat on the couch with her daughter in her lap for a long time, their foreheads touching. Sansa held her mother's face in her little hands as they stared in each other's eyes. Jenny had an intense look of concentration as her eyes periodically opened and shut. No one missed when the little girl kissed away the tears that slid down her mother's cheeks. After about twenty minutes, she kissed Sansa's forehead and sent her to go play. The little imp hugged her mother and then hopped off the couch. Rather than going up to her room, she climbed up into Tony's lap.

 

Most of the group was still getting used to seeing Tony Stark befelled by a four year old. He grinned like a loon whenever Sansa went to him. Gentle and tender were not words one would normally associate with the billionaire, but in Sansa's presence, they certainly came to mind.

 

No one missed the fact that after the interaction between mother and daughter, Jenny lost some of her color and appeared weaker.

 

“What just happened?” Darcy asked softly as she sat beside her cousin, pushing some hair out of her eyes.

 

Jenny sighed, her expression far away. “I locked some of the memories of what happened to us away in Sansa's head,” she whispered.

 

She hated feeling this weak. Not just physically (which wasn't a big deal because that would eventually pass and honestly she'd been struggling with health issues her whole life so it was second nature at this point) but mentally and emotionally. Having studied psychology, she knew that she was definitely suffering the effects of PTSD. Which of course made sense given what she'd been through. That didn't make it any easier.

 

Jenny felt like a basket-case. Plain and simple.

 

The mania was exhausting. One minute she was up, the next she was down, then she'd feel hysterical and not in a good way either. A part of her wanted to ask Doctor Cho is she could prescribe something to help. But somehow, she didn't think it would work.

 

It sucked. Big time. Like everything else in her life, she knew she'd have either to work through it or learn to work around it.

 

To a certain degree, she carried guilt for feeling the way she did. Like she was being ungrateful for the new chance at life she'd been given - since she was alive to feel anything in the first place, that she had no right to be this way.

 

Sam watched with a frown at the myriad of emotions that Jenny went through. To a trained professional, the self loathing was written all over her face. _I'll be damned if I let that go on for much longer._

 

Darcy, unaware of Jenny's internal battle, had to work to keep the shock off her face. “You can do that?”

 

She nodded, swallowing thickly. “Apparently I can now. I wasn't sure if I could mask them but I had to try. I had to Darce. She's four. _Four._ I can't let my little girl carry that burden. She needs to be a kid and not jumping at every sound or constantly watching her back. I want her to be happy. She doesn't deserve to be haunted by those memories. I wanna see her running amuck, getting up to no good with her cousins and maybe even the Avengers occasionally. I want her to be able to enjoy her childhood in a way that I never could. I don't care how long it takes for me to get better, if it'll get that look out of her eyes, I'll do whatever it takes.” Tears pooled in her eyes as held her head in her hands.

 

Darcy hugged her cousin close and kissed her head. “Sweetie, no one's gonna blame you for that. You don't have to justify it to anyone.”

 

If Steve, Clint, Natasha, Bucky and Thor heard the conversation, they gave no indication. The fact that Jenny was fighting so hard to protect Sansa spoke volumes about the young woman. There was no sacrifice too large for Jennifer Stark when it came to her daughter. Darcy was right - no one would ever blame her for that.

 

Bucky came and sat down beside Jenny. She smiled softly at him as he winked at her. He kissed her cheek and she leaned into him. It was an unconscious action on both their parts.

 

“You have questions I assume?” Tony asked as he threw his arm around Sansa who was curled up next to him playing on her Starkpad with headphones in her ears, blissfully oblivious to the conversation around her.

 

Jenny nodded thoughtfully as her expression changed to one of mischief. “Bunches. Who really killed JFK? Who was DB Cooper? Did aliens land in Roswell? Who created the Nazca lines? Are the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot or the Chupacabra real? Does the Bermuda Triangle exist? Where is Jimmy Hoffa buried? Ya know, shit like that.”

 

The group including Bucky and Steve (yes they got the references.....well most of them) cracked up.

 

“Oh we have to keep her,” Sam said from his perch on the end of the couch.

 

“Thank you. Thank you,” she said with a mock bow. “I'm available for birthday parties.”

 

“Well if there was ever a question as to if she's related to Lewis and Stark, that answered it,” Clint declared with a grin.

 

“Don't hate the greatness Gus Gus,” she responded sticking her pierced tongue out.

 

Clint stuck his out in response and then winked at her.

 

“Seriously though Little Coz,” Darcy interrupted as she reached for Jenny's hand. She was concerned. Jenny's reactions seemed to be all over the map. While Sam told her that was normal, she was still worried. Jenny, for the most part, seemed to be handling the situation far better than one would think she should. “Do you have any questions?”

 

Jenny shook her head negatively. “No. You don't think I knew some of this stuff Darce? Curious kids tend to stumble upon things they necessarily shouldn't when they're bored. Don't forget, Dad followed in Uncle Howie's footsteps. He was SHIELD too and he was pretty high up. I've known a lot more than I was given credit for, for years. The only things I really need to know now are that my daughter and I are safe, we're among friends and family and no one intends on making us lab experiments again.”

 

Tony gave her a reassuring smile. “You're safe, we always take care of our own, and no, no one is going to make you do anything you don't want to do Lil Bit.”

 

Darcy's brow furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean stumble upon?”

 

“What else is there for a kid with a genius IQ to do? I hacked Dad's computer. Dad caught me and I thought I was in serious trouble. But instead he sat down across from me with a shit eating grin on his face and told me to go to town. He let me hack.”

 

“Into what?”

 

She cracked her knuckles, a rogue grin on her face. “If you were to check SHIELD's records, you'll find an employee by the name of Jessica Kildare on the payroll from 2005 until 2009. That was actually me. From the time I was 13 until I was 17, I was classified as an independent contractor. My job was to constantly test their firewalls looking for weaknesses and back doors. When I found them, I would create patches and algorithms. Shit they paid for all of my degrees. After Mom and Dad died, they asked me to stay on and I refused. I had to sign a shitload of NDAs, which in hindsight aren't even valid, but, they let me go with no fuss. I think it had something to do with the fact that not only was I pregnant, but I was the teenage child and niece of their golden children. That's a messy fuckton of baggage right there. No one was willing to take me on. No one wanted to be my handler and I didn't wanna be forced on someone. Especially not in an agency that has strayed so far from the ideals it was founded on.”

 

Jane glanced at Darcy. It was very clear that she had no knowledge of any of this while it had been going on. She was sure it would've come up in conversation. “ _All_ of your Degrees? How many do you have?”

 

Jenny looked sheepish as she tried to smile at Jane and then Darcy. “A Doctorate in Computer Technology and Cybersecurity, Master's in Forensic Accounting, Corporate Business Administration, and Emergency and Disaster Management. Bachelor's in Psychology, Criminal Justice and Security Management.”

 

“Damn Doll,” Bucky smirked. “You weren't kidding when you said you were smart.”

 

Jenny elbowed him as she blushed. Nearly everyone in the room was looking at her slack jawed. “What?”

 

“I knew you were smart but holy shit Jenny,” Tony said as he shook his head. “How the hell did I not know this?”

 

“Because I was the one who personally encrypted my personnel files. Dad and Fao told me to lock em up tighter than Fort Knox. I think there's probably a handful of Level Ten agents able to access my files let alone know they exist.”

 

“I feel like I need to pay way more attention to you,” Tony declared derisively.

 

Darcy found herself nodding wordlessly in agreement.

 

“Well how about a position with Stark Industries?” Pepper asked with a smile. _She should be given a chance to put that brain of hers to good use. She'd give a lot of people a run for their money no doubt._

 

Jenny's eyebrows shot up to her hairline. “Seriously?”

 

“It's not like it wouldn't be an eventuality anyway,” Tony responded with a grin. “Gotta take up the 'family mantle' at some point don'tcha?” He wasn't sure he liked the calculating look on his wife's face though. Pepper was wearing that _I'm Pepper Stark and I can take over the world at a whim with very little effort in under an hour if I wanted to_ expression.

 

Jenny hesitated. “Well, yeah, but...”

 

Pepper continued on, ignoring her cousin-in-law's hesitancy. “I have it on good authority that Cybersecurity and Intel need a new director because the SI Director of Security cleaned house when we brought him on board.”

 

“Really? Who's that?”

 

“Psst,” Bucky said to get her attention. When she looked up at him. “I am Doll.”

 

“Our favorite little recluse had fun poking holes in our security net for a while when he first got here,” Tony said with a smirk in Bucky's direction. “I finally got so fed up with the constant commentary about how he we should do this or fix that, that I let him have at it.”

 

“Tony shut up, we wouldn't have let him if he wasn't so damn good at it,” Pepper admonished.

 

“That and he rid us of more than a few potentially disastrous personnel problems,” Tony retorted with a grin. While he might've been teasing Bucky. He really was grateful. Stealthily, he had cleared out anyone with ties to Hydra from Stark Industries. He headed off a crisis that they didn't even know was brewing right under their noses.

 

Jenny winked at Bucky. “I dunno. The boss seems like he might be a bit of a hardass.” If she took the position, she'd oversee the day to day for the two departments. However, both ultimately reported to the Director of Security. So essentially, Bucky would be her boss. _Stop thinkin dirty thoughts. Think of the job not the man._

 

Bucky snorted. “You did say you like a good challenge. Just don't expect me to go easy or nothin cause you're a Stark.”

 

She made a pfft sound and rolled her eyes. “Bring it Grandpa,” she replied sticking her tongue out. “I ain't scared.”

 

Natasha nodded at Pepper with a grin. She knew that there were a multitude of reasons for bringing up the position. Never let it be said that Pepper Stark wasn't observant as hell with the potential to be downright devious when she wanted. _And that, is just one of the many reasons she was my maid of honor._

 

\--

 

Founder and former Director of SHIELD Peggy Carter exited the elevator on a man's arm. He walked her down the stairs and over to the couch where he helped her sit. They were followed by another man and three children.

 

The first man was about 6'4, with olive skin and muscles for days. He had short, spiky, raven hair. His face was slightly scruffy which lent to the sexy bad boy image he was projecting with very little effort. He was wearing black dress pants and a long sleeve navy blue shirt, the sleeves rolled up to reveal tattooed forearms. There was a gun holstered under his left arm. His mocha eyes surveyed the room for threats before coming to a rest on Jenny. There was a warmth and mischief in their depths as he saw her. They could see an almost imperceptible (to non-trained/non super soldier eyes) hitch in his step as he walked towards Jenny (who had jumped up from the couch with a bright smile and practically threw herself at him – and much to Bucky's dismay, she climbed him like a tree). His devil may care smile would certainly make more than one woman's (and who crap load of men too) mind go dirty places.

 

Not that his companion was too shabby either.

 

The second man had gorgeous caramel colored skin with crystalline hazel eyes. He stood 6'3 and muscle wise about Steve's size. One might easily mistake him for a model with his flawless complexion and strong angular features. His clothes certainly gave credence to the idea since his emerald dress shirt and black slacks looked tailored to perfection. Like his companion, his sleeves were rolled up and he wore a gun holster under his right arm. He had no visible tattoos but his labret was pierced. Jenny, upon noticing him, untangled herself from the other man's arms and threw herself into his.

 

His smile as he caught her was face-splitting.

 

Bucky struggled to bite back a growl.

 

Natasha smirked as she noted that both men sported matching rings on an important finger. A small part of her wanted to point it out to her grumbling friend. But the bigger part of her wanted to taunt and tease him....mercilessly.

 

Tony made a crack about Armani and Gucci as he hugged the newcomers as well. “Hope ya don't expect the same kinda welcoming from me guys,” he declared, mirth in his voice. Jenny burrowed herself in between the pair after they greeted him.

 

And once again Bucky bit back a growl.

 

Darcy cuffed him upside the head without hesitation and a roll of her eyes.

 

Steve went to open his mouth to comment, but one sidelong warning glance from his fiance was enough to cause him to think better of it.

 

She nodded in satisfaction as Clint made a whip sound behind Steve's back.

 

He was quickly the recipient of a smack on the head from his wife. In typical Black Widow fashion, Natasha was quick and biting so it actually ended up stinging like a bitch.

 

Bruce and Thor grinned at Clint's wounded frown. Until Jane leveled her gaze on them.

 

Meanwhile, the three young girls dashed down the stairs towards Darcy, Sansa and Pepper, screeching happily for the trio.

 

Sansa giggled as she found herself in a pile of her cousins. She clamored out from under them, scaled the couch, and proceeded to hug and kiss Peggy.

 

The two men moved on after the girls to hug and kiss Darcy, Pepper and Jane on the cheek. They then shook Erik's hand.

 

Everyone (and I do mean everyone – even Thor) greeted Peggy with a hug, a kiss to the cheek or both.

 

Once that was done, Peggy cleared her throat. “Girls, why don't you go play up in Sansa's room while the adults have a terribly boring conversation.”

 

All four obeyed respectfully without question. “Yes Aunt Peggy.” “Okay.” “Yes Ma’am.” “Sure Aunt Peggy.” Sansa led the group happily chatting away as they scaled the stairs and skipped to her room.

 

“Jarvis, engage privacy mode and please keep an eye on the girls.”

 

“Of course Madam.”

 

She sat on the couch looking as regal as ever. “Well now, I suppose it's time for introductions. For those of you who have not met them yet, this my nephew Josiah Rumlow and his husband Damien Cruz-Rumlow. The girls are their children Elena, Irisa, and Jennika. Joey, Dami, meet the Avengers and company, Thor Odinson from Asgard, Clint Barton, Natasha Romanoff-Barton, Bruce Banner, Steve Rogers and James Barnes. If I'm not mistaken, the rest of you lot have been previously acquainted.”

 

Bucky noticed that Sam was left out of the introductions. Joey and Damien approached him with grins. They both hugged him and the trio spoke for a few minutes. _I'll find out how they know each other later._

 

Jenny wandered over and burrowed herself into Joey's side (amazing how that didn't bother him once he realized the man in question was Jenny's best friend....Jenny's very _gay_ and very _married_ best friend) while smiling at Sam. There was a familiarity in their interaction that he noticed before. But he'd chalked it up to Sam being Sam and getting a head start on the PTSD the newest member of their family would undoubtedly have.

 

“Hmmm,” Steve said, catching on to his best friend''s train of thought.

 

“Yeah, 's what I'm thinkin too Punk. But we'll get to that later.”

 

Sam caught Steve's eye and nodded. He whispered something in Jenny's ear which sent then sent Jenny and Joey their way.

 

Joey smiled warmly and stuck out his hand to Steve and Bucky. “Captain, Sargent, it's an honor.”

 

“What unit are you with?”

 

“I was with the 75 th  Ranger Regiment. Received an honorable discharge after being injured during a mission,” he replied pulling up his left pant leg showing a prosthetic.

 

“Sniper?”

 

“Yes sir.”

 

“Good man,” Bucky said with a grin as he shook Joey's hand. “Drop the sir shit though. Call me Bucky and this punk is Steve.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, we can sing kumbaya and share war stories later,” Jenny declared as she pushed Joey a bit. “Let's move the line so we can get to why we're all here. Aunt Peggy's giving me her _Jennifer, I'm disappointed in you_ look that I find completely terrifying.”

 

With that, everyone who hadn't met introduced themselves to each other and shook hands.

 

Jenny was seated between Peggy and Darcy.. She grasped their hands as if they were her lifelines. The women frowned at each other behind her back.

 

Peggy'd known something was wrong the minute Joey had shown up unannounced at her home. One look at the text Jenny'd sent him further cemented the notion. Her greatest fear had come true. Since Darcy was already living at the Avengers Tower and was engaged to Steve, she didn't worry as much about her older goddaughter. Jenny however, was not. While Long Island wasn't that far away, she feared that there'd come a day when they wouldn't be able to protect her.

 

It seemed that day had come.

 

“It's okay Aunt Peg,” Jenny murmured softly. “We're safe.”

 

She cupped Jenny's cheeks as she looked her over. Her face and arms were in various stages of healing. The injuries looked weeks old but somehow she just knew, they weren't. “But safe from what I wonder?”

 

“Jenny?” Joey asked as he knelt in front of her. “What happened Baby Girl? Why do you look like you've been through a war?”

 

Damien frowned. “Where's Leo?”

 

Bucky was confused. “Leo?”

 

Joey growled. The sorrow in Jenny's eyes told him all he needed to know. “Leo Canaletto. Sansa's bodyguard. Leo travels with her and Jenny when they're outside the states for long periods of time. Looking after Jenny is typically my thing and Leo watches out for Sansa.”

 

“Dead,” she uttered softly. “They killed him when he was trying to get us free,” she said as tears streamed down her cheeks. “With a bullet right in between his eyes.”

 

“Shhh,” Darcy said as she kissed Jenny's forehead and pulled her into her arms. “'S not your fault Baby. Leo knew what he was getting into. It was his job to protect you.”

 

Tony tried to change the subject (well as best he could given the circumstances). “So will Hydra be pounding down the door looking for the two of you?” But it wasn't the best transition. Of course he realized that after seeing their aunt's reaction.

 

Jenny shook her head. “Nope, and neither will anyone else for that matter. We weren't due to check in with anyone for another 3 weeks. We weren't staying in a hotel in Rio. We have an apartment that's listed under Elle Kildare.”

 

Joey growled. Jenny let go of Darcy and Peggy's hands to cup Joey's cheeks as she kissed his forehead. He placed his hands on her legs almost as if he needed a reminder that she was really there.

 

The rest of the room save for Tony, Darcy, Pepper, Jane, Sam and Erik looked confused at the exchange.

 

Jenny looked up feeling eyes on them. She gave a half-hearted smile. “He ab-so-friggin-lutely hates it when we go places without him. But sometimes I just want to disappear and forget the world for a little while so he allows it as long as I check in every few weeks and we bring Leo with us. I couldn't in good conscience drag him away from Damien, their company, and the girls for that long. It wouldn't be fair to uproot him just because I have a case of wanderlust.”

 

Sam pulled out his cellphone and shot a group text to Steve, Bucky, Clint and Natasha. _'Strange that she used that word. Wanderlust is often associated with bipolar disorder or a want or need to escape depressive feelings of guilt.'_

 

The response ranged from _'I know the feeling.'_ (Clint), _'She has many demons for one so young.'_ (Natasha), _'Do me a favor Sam? Please don't tell Darcy that.'_ (Steve) to _'We'll just have to change that won't we?'_ (Bucky).

 

Sam nodded at the four of them as if to say that they'd revisit that particular line of thought at another time.

 

Peggy's eyes bulged out of their sockets. “H-h-hydra?”

 

Jenny nodded solemnly as tears cascaded down her cheeks. “You're looking at their newest attempt to mirror Erskine's serum.”

 

Peggy paled and held her hands to her mouth as tears pooled in her eyes. Knowing what Hydra had put Bucky through, she was terrified of the answer to the question she was about to ask. “What did they do to you Little Love?”

 

She swallowed thickly. Fat tears were rolling down her cheeks. “We were gonna go visit the candy store around the block from our apartment when they grabbed us. Five guys in a white van grabbed Sansa and I. Leo drew his gun and they-they-they,” she stopped speaking and started gasping.

 

Bucky without missing a beat, dropped down in front of her and reached for her hands. “Shhhh,” he said his voice almost a whisper. “Look at me.”

 

Joey backed up respecting the fact that the other man knew more about handling his little sister at this moment than he did. The minute Hydra had been mentioned, he knew that Sargent Barnes was most likely the one Jenny would be leaning on. It only made sense. He didn't like it. But that didn't mean he didn't respect it. He sat back down beside Damien and reached for his husband's hand.

 

Jenny's eyes locked on Bucky's as her chest heaved and she struggled to breath.

 

“Focus on me Jenn,” he said as he held her hands in his. “Forget everyone else and match your breathing to mine.”

 

Peggy smoothed her niece's hair down as she watched her old friend try to calm her down.

 

Jenny grasped Bucky's hands tightly as she kept her eyes on his while she struggled not to hyperventilate.

 

“'S good Doll. 'S real good. Breath with me.”

 

After what seemed like an eternity, but in all reality was really only about five minutes or so, Jenny's breathing slowed to match Bucky's. The entire time, she kept her eyes locked on his. He leaned down and kissed her knuckles. “That's good Jenn. You did real good Doll.”

 

She nodded, her eyes refusing to leave his. “I'm sorry,” she uttered softly.

 

He shook his head at her as he cupped her cheek. “No Doll. Nothin to be sorry for. Those Hydra bastards did this to you. You never asked for this Jenn. We're gonna get you through this Baby. Everyone is this room is behind ya one hundred percent.”

 

She nodded almost imperceptibly tears shining in her eyes.

 

Bucky ignored the urge to kiss her tears away. He knew it wouldn't be appropriate and more than half the room would probably kill him. “'K. Do ya wanna continue with the story or take a break?”

 

“Um,” she said swallowing as she tried to clear her head of the chaos. “I wanna keep goin. Can ya stay here with me though?”

 

His heart broke at how unsure she sounded. _Shit_ , he thought ruefully, _this musta been how I was when I first got here._ “Of course Doll,” he said with a reassuring smile as he kissed her knuckles again. “I'll stay right here.” He sat down in front of her cross legged, never letting go of her hands.

 

She smiled gratefully. “Thank you Jaime,” she whispered.

 

The sincerity in his eyes amazed her. “I'm gonna be here every step of the way Jenn. I'm not going anywhere.”

 

She nodded, biting her bottom lip. “'K.”

 

Peggy caught Bucky's eye as Jenny looked around at the group. _'Thank you'_ she mouthed. Her heart was in her throat at the moment as she tried very hard to keep her emotions in check. Her Little Love had been abducted and subjected to god knows what at the hands of Hydra. She knew it would take the whole of their extended family and the Avengers to put her back together.

 

Bucky nodded, determination in his eyes. He felt eyes on him all around the room but he ignored them in favor of focusing on Jenny. She was his absolute priority.

 

Joey muttered under his breath. “Shoulda fucking gone with them. Never letting em outta my sight again.”

 

Damien rubbed his thumb across his husband's hand in a gesture of comfort.

 

The rest of the room, like Peggy, struggled to keep their feelings from their expressions knowing that wasn't what Jenny needed at that moment. What she needed was comfort and acceptance. It was eerily reminiscent of how Bucky had been when he'd first come to them. So it only made sense that he'd choose to take point on helping Jenny recover from her ordeal.

 

Looking at each other, the group could see that they'd all made the same collective decision.

 

“So,” he said drawing her attention back to him. “Elle Kildare?”

 

She nodded giving him a half-hearted smile. Her emotions were all over the place and it didn't help that she could feel everyone else in the room. Focusing on Bucky, she took a deep breath and tried to throw her mental walls up. “Elle is derivative of part of my middle name Mariella and Kildare was my grandmother's maiden name. If we're staying somewhere outside of the country for an extended period of time, we never go by our actual names. Daddy and Aunt Peggy taught me well.”

 

“Good girl,” Peggy said proudly as she kissed her forehead.

 

Bucky was mentally putting two and two together. “That picture of the two little girls with Tony on the piano?”

 

Darcy grinned. She was wondering when all the pieces were gonna fall in place for anyone who wasn't already in the know. That and she didn't know if Bucky remembered the first conversation they ever had. “Is me and Jenny when we were two and six. Aunt Peggy is mine, Tony, Joey AND Jenny's godmother. While my mom, Aunt Maria, and Aunt Elena were hella feisty, I think we all got our independent streak from her.”

 

Jenny and Darcy both turned to grin at Peggy. Tony, Pepper and Jane smiled from their seats as well. Joey and Damien shot knowing smiles in Peggy's direction.

 

“How did I not know this before?”

 

Peggy laughed. “Because I was one of Maria and Howard's best friends so it was safe to assume that's why Tony calls me Aunt Peggy. My Alexander was Jason Lewis and Marielena Stark's older brother. Joey's mother Antonia was my cousin.”

 

Jenny continued on with her story for fear she'd lose the will to do so. “It was me they really wanted. Apparently they'd been watching us for a couple of weeks when we were taken. No one would think much of an American girl and her daughter disappearing from the ghettos of a foreign country. They took Sansa as leverage, figuring I'd behave like a good little girl. I fought back a lot and most of the guards didn't want to do anything to Sansa but had no problems roughing me up. I didn't care as long as they didn't hurt my baby. And in some weird way, I think they respected that. But the scientist in charge was psycho with a capital P. He injected Sansa with the same shit he did me. Kept telling me that Hydra hadn't authorized it but he wanted to conduct side experiments. Said that he was planning on telling the bosses that I died while in custody and then he was gonna take us away so he could keep doing what he wanted. Fuckin whack job. I doubt they'll come looking for me at all. He had the guards addicted to some drug cocktail he cooked up. In exchange for their complete obedience and silence, he gave them their daily doses.”

 

Tony frowned. “Do you know where it was?”

 

“We never left Brazil. I got cold cocked when they grabbed us but Sansa said she was able to count to two thousand three hundred and twenty-one before we were dragged into some warehouse. So figure it was about forty minutes or so outside of Rio.”

 

Tony, Bruce and Natasha were already tapping away on their Starkpads trying to figure out where the girls might have been held.

 

“Smart girl,” Clint remarked with an expression that spoke of pride.

 

“Wonder where she mighta learned that one Doll,” Bucky quipped with a smirk.

 

“She's not your average four year old and Stark isn't exactly a subtle last name to have these days. So yes, I'll admit to teaching her that among a whole bunch of other things. The very same things I was taught early on too. Take my dad, my mama, my uncle, my godfather, my older brother, my best friend's two older brothers and add in an overprotective and extremely badass aunt slash godmother and super paranoid World War II Veterans slash psuedo-uncles, and conversation around our dinner table when I was a kid was interesting to say the least. And while I had health issues, they sure as hell made sure I could defend myself with my hands and weapons, much to my mother's dismay. Guess I didn't do too bad of a job fighting back considering I had three of them on the floor before the fourth injected me with a sedative and then hit me with his gun. Eventually, that bastard had to get thirty-three stitches thanks to me.” Jenny blushed with a proud smile on her face.

 

So did Peggy, Tony, Darcy, Pepper and Bucky.

 

Her expression went stormy again and she gripped Bucky's hands tightly.

 

He squeezed hers in response, a reassuring look in his eyes. Blinking, she concentrated on the feeling of reassurance and awe she picked up from him. Focusing on that made it far easier to speak.

 

“He had us for sixteen days. For the last four, it was all about testing my pain threshold and healing abilities. When they shot me I knew that was it. If I didn't get us outta there, we were gonna die. I told the head guard I promised to cooperate if they put me and Sansa together. As soon as they left for chow, I took my chance. I grabbed Sansa and told her to concentrate with me. Told her that we had to picture the private lobby of the Tower. We did and next thing I knew, we were here. I pulled myself onto the couch while Sansa screamed for Jarvis to get you guys. That's the last thing I remember until I woke up.”

 

“You did it Doll,” Bucky said kissing her knuckles again. “You saved your daughter. You're both safe.”

 

Looking around the room, she could see that everyone agreed with his statement. Each and every person had an expression that ranged from awe to pride and everywhere in between as they nodded their heads.

 

Jenny smiled as tears cascaded down her face. A sob tore itself from her throat. Bucky knelt up on his knees in front of her. Without hesitation, she threw herself into his arms and cried into his shoulder. He stroked her hair as he murmured into her ear. “Shhh Baby. 'S okay. You got out. You're here and no one's gonna hurt ya anymore.”

 

The group looked somber as they watched on. Jenny had a long road ahead of her.

 

Steve looked puzzled. While he'd met Jenny a few times before, neither her nor Darcy spoke much of the family. “If you don't mind my asking, how old was your father?”

 

Jenny pulled back from Bucky and giggled softly at the confused look on Captain America's face. _Check that off my bucket list. Stump the Star Spangled Man with a Plan. Check._ Darcy got up and snatched a picture off of Tony's mantle and handed it to him. “Dad was 12 years younger than Uncle Howie. He was born in 1929. So yeah, when you do the math, Dad was 62 when I was born in 1991. Mom was 43 at that point.”

 

Peggy took over the story. “Kristian was Howard's test subject for the variants of an aging serum he formulated based off of what little of Doctor Erkskine's formula he could discern from his notes. It's a likely explanation for why Jenny seemed to stop aging at nineteen and Faolan even in his thirties and early forties, looked no older than his mid twenties.”

 

“Dad and Uncle Howie were frustrated that in spite of the formulas Dad had been injected with, I was still anemic, hypoglycemic and asthmatic. Faolan wasn't though. It could've honestly stemmed from my mother's age when I was born and the fact that I was a premie. I spent the first four months of my life in the NICU. My brother Faolan was 23 years older than me. I was apparently a surprise.”

 

“Oh yeah,” Tony said with a grin. “I'll never forget getting that call from Fao. He was shocked as hell when he told me _Tone, I'm not gonna be an only child no more._ I thought he was kidding at first.”

 

“Ha, ha, ha,” Jenny remarked dryly.

 

Tony smiled affectionately at her. “Doesn't matter whether you were a surprise or not Lil Bit. You were a very welcome surprise.”

 

“And still are,” Darcy said with a warm smile of her own. “Our family is that much better for it.”

 

“You are so very loved Jennifer Mariella Margaret,” Peggy said as she reached for her hand. “I hope you know that. You always have been and always will be.”

 

“Love you too Aunt Peggy,” she said as she burrowed herself into her godmother's arms absorbing the love that was radiating off her family.

 

–

 

After lunch, Tony, Pepper, Darcy, Steve, Bucky, Sam, Peggy, Clint and Natasha sat around the table drinking their coffee and tea.

 

Jane, Erik, Thor and Bruce had gone off to science some more.

 

Peggy waited until Jenny, Damien, Joey and the kids were out the door (they were going to watch a movie in Tony's movie theater two floors above) before she spoke. Her expression was serious and her tone left no room for argument. “Anthony, you will do anything and everything to keep Jennifer here. Do not fight fair. That little girl is just as stubborn and pig headed as your father, her father and my husband were. While I adore it at times, right now, I do not.”

 

He nodded. “Was planning on it Aunt Peg. Darce and I decided we're not letting them go again.”

 

She let out a deep sigh. “Whatever is said at this table stays here. Does everyone understand that?” Her eyes traveled around the table to ensure she had everyone's attention. One by one, they nodded.

 

“Former director or not, I still have the ability to make things happen. All it will take is a text message or two. Under no circumstances is Jennifer ever to hear of this conversation.”

 

Bucky had no doubt that Peggy could most certainly make things happen with very little effort if she truly wanted to. She was a pistol in her twenties. In her nineties after decades of running a covert government agency, he couldn't begin to fathom what she was capable of.

 

“Jennifer and Sansa's abduction was a blessing in disguise. Since Kristian and Alsander's deaths, I've wanted her here with Anthony.”

 

“Aunt Peggy, can I ask a question?”

 

“Of course Darling,” she said as she smiled at Darcy. “What is it?”

 

“Why is it you always leave Aunt Elena out whenever you mention the past? I mean you talk about Uncle Howie, Uncle Alex and Aunt Maria. You'll talk about my parents, the Rumlows and Uncle Kris. But you never mention Aunt Elena.”

 

Peggy managed to look contrite and irritated all at once. “Please understand, I do not like speaking ill of the dead. While I did love my sister-in-law, I hated her just as much. Marielena Lewis was an opportunist. Had your Aunt Allison not lost her battle with cancer, your Uncle Kristian would have married her instead.”

 

“Why didn't we know this?”

 

“There's a few family secrets that have never been discussed before. That's one of the biggest. Marielena took advantage of the fact that Kristian was hurting from losing Allison. He was broken and she saw her in. They married because she fell pregnant with Faolan. They stayed together because your grandfather drilled into his children that divorce was not an option. They slept in separate bedrooms most of the time.”

 

“Wow,” Darcy said as she sat back in shock. “That explains a lot.”

 

“Uncle Kris' behavior after we all found out Jenny was pregnant makes so much more sense now,” Tony uttered in a disbelieving tone. “That's why he flipped out when Aunt Mari demanded that Jenny and Al get married.”

 

Peggy nodded. “Kristian was over the moon when he found out he was going to be a grandfather. Much the same way he was when Marielena told him that she was pregnant with Faolan and then later with Jenny. If it had been up to him, they would have had a house full of children but Marielena was more concerned about her figure, socializing and enjoying the fruits of being a society wife.”

 

A thought occurred to Pepper. “Jenny wasn't a surprise was she?”

 

Peggy smiled brightly. “No she wasn't. If you recall, Joseph Stark died two years before Jennifer was born. With his father gone, Kristian began contemplating divorce. Faolan was out on his own so there was nothing to stop him. Howard had even made some discreet inquiries for him. Marielena would've lost everything thanks to the prenuptial agreement. Having Jennifer was a stall tactic really. And we all knew it. But Kristian couldn't find it in himself to be upset. He loved Jennifer so very much. That little girl was everything to him. He was bound and determined to give her a full life. Where Marielena tried to put her in a bubble and turn her into a society snot, Kristian paid for all kinds of lessons for anything she fancied. Her asthma may have been dreadfully terrible at times, but he encouraged her to do what she liked in spite of it. Marielena preferred to simply tell her no to everything and blame it on her health. She attempted to stifle that child at nearly every turn. It was a constant source of contention between Kristian and Marielena.”

 

“Does Jenny know this?”

 

Peggy nodded, her expression stormy. “Two days after Jenny announced she was pregnant, Marielena drank herself into a stupor and lost her mind. She excelled at putting on a show for others. But when no one was around and she was drinking, that's when the real her came out. Ever wonder why Jenny's first tattoo was _In Vino Veritas_?”

 

“From wine comes truth,” Bucky mumbled.

 

“More like from beer comes bad ideas,” Darcy said with a grin trying to lighten up everyone's mood a little.

 

Peggy smiled at her softly. “Kristian, Alexander and I had just come from dinner with Governor Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg. Alsander had sent a text message to Kristian saying that he needed to come home because Marielena was screaming at Jenny and had her locked in the library. The things she said to that poor little girl that night were horrific. She cried in my arms for hours.”

 

“Wait a minute,” Tony interrupted, his expression furious as he slammed his hands down on the table. “Those bruises around her neck when she was 17. She wasn't mugged was she?”

 

“I'm afraid not. Marielena had been rather inebriated one night and went off on a tangent about how Jenny was so perfect in Kristian's eyes that she could do no wrong. She swore Alsander to secrecy because she was terrified of what would happen to Marielena if she spoke up. Kristian more than likely would have killed her. I only found out because I overheard Jenny and Alsander discussing it when they were designing Sansa's nursery. He was begging her to tell her father or one of us. She flat out refused if for no other reason than to protect her mother. Rare breed of angel that child is.”

 

“But Jenny could've....”

 

“Fought back?” Peggy shook her head negatively. “You don't think I know that? Between Faolan and Joey being Rangers, Brock being a SEAL, you teaching her MMA, and everything Howard, Kristian, Alexander and I ever taught her, she could've killed Marielena if she wanted without breaking a sweat. But she wouldn't. That's not Jenny. Even though she was a wretched witch, Marielena was still her mother.”

 

–

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love :)


	7. Remembrance of Things Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jenny remembers events of the past....

 

Jenny dreamt of the past that night....

 

The first time she had a vision, she was four....

 

_Jenny was sitting in bed reading A Wrinkle in Time. _

 

_Her mother had been irritated that Faolan had bought it for her. She'd argued with him (quite loudly – years later, she realized her mother was drunk....again) about it. She kept saying that since she was only four, she should have age appropriate books. Faolan shot back that she needed to accept that she was a genius and was light years ahead of where she should be. He told her to stop trying to fit the square peg in a round hole. That his little sister was incredibly special and deserved the world. That if she couldn't accept that, that he'd be happy to take a desk job and take custody of his baby sister. Their mother had gotten so fed up that she stormed out._

 

_She'd burned through every book her aunts, uncles and cousins had given her. She'd seen that one on Darcy's bookshelf and immediately requested it. The following day, Faolan had shown up with the entire series that the book belonged to._

 

“ _My genius of a baby sister never asks for anything,” he told her. “How could I say no to some books? What kinda big brother would I be?”_

 

_She'd thrown herself at him with a happy squeal. “I love you Fao.”_

 

“ _Love you too Lil Bit,” he responded hugging her tightly. “You're brilliant and nine kinds of amazing,” he whispered in her ear as he stroked her hair. “Don't ever let anyone tell you different.”_

 

“ _But Mommy,”_

 

_He cut her off with a finger to her lips. “That includes Mom Lil Bit, Don't ever let anyone stifle your spirit. You're just as the Gods meant you to be.”_

 

“ _Mommy said I should have age appropriate books and that I should be more concerned with dressing up then having my nose stuck in a book.”_

 

_He gasped. There was no way she could have heard their argument. She'd been asleep for hours when it happened. He knew it because he'd given her allergy medicine to her and stayed with her until she fell asleep._

 

“ _Jenny Girl, if I ask you a question, can you give me an honest answer? I promise no matter what you won't be in trouble.”_

 

_She nodded, her little brows furrowing in confusion. “I wouldn't lie to you Fao. I would never lie to my big brother.”_

 

“ _That's a good girl. I never want you to be afraid to tell me the truth. How'd you know what Mom said?”_

 

_She hesitated for a moment._

 

“ _Jenny Girl?”_

 

“ _I saw it in my dreams Fao.”_

 

_He smiled softly and pulled her back into his lap. “Can I tell you a secret?”_

 

_She stuck her pinky out. “I pinky promise not to tell.”_

 

_His bright green eyes sparkled with mirth as he locked his pinky with hers. “I have dreams like that too. Sometimes when I'm asleep and sometimes I'm awake.”_

 

_Her eyes went wide. “Really?”_

 

“ _Yes really. Dad, Mama and Aunt Peggy know.”_

 

“ _Really? You mean I can tell someone?”_

 

“ _Just Dad, Mama and Aunt Peggy for the moment Lil Bit. If Dad wants anyone else to know, he'll tell you.”_

 

“ _Okay.”_

 

“ _You're so special Jenny Girl,” he said as he tucked her hair behind her ears. “You'll do great things in this life.”_

 

_She smiled affectionately and laid her head on his chest._

 

That was Faolan. Always ridiculously loving and protective. Despite a 23 year age gap, she was his little side kick whenever he had leave. Some of her favorite sleepovers had been at his place. She looked up to her big brother. Always with a kind word, he guided her and coached her on honing her gifts. For as far back as she could remember, he would tell her that she was amazing and a gift from the Gods.

 

_-_

 

The first time she figured out her parents weren't on the same page, she had just turned five....

 

“ _Knock, knock,” Kristian Stark said as he opened his daughter's door with a grin on his face and love in his cerulean eyes._

 

“ _Daddy,” she said gleefully reaching her arms up demanding a hug._

 

_He sat down and pulled his baby girl into his lap. “Hiya Pumpkin,” he said as he kissed her forehead and held her tightly._

 

_She giggled as her Daddy tickled her sides._

 

“ _Hey, how would you like to come back to New York with Aunt Peggy, Aunt Kata and I?”_

 

_She frowned. “But Mommy said that we were staying in DC for a while.”_

 

_His expression stayed the same but his eyes grew stormy. There was something in his tone that told her something was wrong. “Well Mommy's gonna stay here for a couple of weeks and Daddy's going back to New York. I figured me, you, Aunt Kata, Aunt Peggy, Tony, Darcy and Al can go do all kinds of fun things around the City.”_

 

“ _Like go to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island?”_

 

“ _Just like that.”_

 

_She clapped her hands in excitement. “Oooh, can we go to the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, and Central Park?”_

 

_Kristian grinned at his daughter's enthusiasm. “All that plus the Intrepid, Rockefeller Center, and St. Patrick's Cathedral.”_

 

“ _Oh Daddy that's awesome!”_

 

She still had the pictures from all the places they visited. Her father bought her a top of the line digital camera that year and let her go to town with it. She took hundreds of pictures. Darcy and Aunt Peggy had helped her put her favorites in a giant frame that he also bought her.

 

–

 

The first time her mother called her a freak, there were witnesses.....

 

“ _Daddy, can Darcy and I have ice pops please?”_

 

“ _Sure Pumpkin,” he said as he kissed her forehead. “Can you open the freezer or do you need help?”_

 

“ _I got this,” she said flexing her arm as if to show muscles._

 

_All the adults in the room cracked up at the look of determination she wore._

 

_She dashed into the kitchen and tugged on the freezer door until it popped open. With a giggle, she landed on her butt from the force. Darcy came skidding into the kitchen and giggled at the sight of her little cousin on the floor._

 

_Jenny stood and reach over into the drawer to pull out the ice pops. But she froze as a vision hit her. She saw two different men. One dressed in red, white, and blue. Sad but unaware of the changing world around him. The other, dressed in all black. Unaware of who he was, let alone the rest of the world. Both so cold, they were frozen? A thought popped into her head that had her dashing back into the living room._

 

_She threw herself into her father's arms and cried for both men._

 

“ _Lil Bit what's wrong?”_

 

_She sniffled into his shoulder as she turned to face her Aunt Peggy and Uncle Howie. Something told her they needed to get the message more so than anyone else._

 

_Peggy leaned forward. “Jenny, Darling?”_

 

“ _Cap and Buck haven't reached the end of the line yet,” she murmured._

 

_Simultaneously, Peggy fainted, Jim Morita gasped and Howard fell to his knees in front of her. Tony and her mother tended to Peggy while the rest of the adults focused on her._

 

“ _What did you say Lil Bit?” Howard asked as he reached for her hand._

 

“ _Did I say something wrong,” Jenny asked as her bottom lip quivered and tears pooled in her eyes._

 

“ _No, no, shh,” he said as he cupped her cheek and kissed her forehead. “No sweet girl.”_

 

“ _Jenny, where did you get that from?” Jim asked as he knelt beside Howard._

 

“ _The cold,” she said as she rubbed her arms. “They're so cold. The freezer is cold and it came to me.”_

 

“ _You're a fucking freak,” her mother yelled as she helped Peggy sit up._

 

_Kristian turned a murderous glare on his wife. “Tony, take Jenny and Darcy outside please,” he said in an icy tone._

 

_Tony stood, pulled Jenny (who was now sobbing against his shoulder) into his arms and reached for Darcy's hand._

 

Looking back on it, things between her mother, uncles and Aunt Peggy were never the same after that day. Up until his death a few years later, Uncle Jim refused to speak to her. Uncle Howie only spoke to her if it was necessary. As an adult, she realized that her father started sleeping in the guest bedroom across from hers just after that incident. It was the first time her mother called her a freak, but it was nowhere near the last.

 

-

 

She was terrified the day she found out she was pregnant with Sansa. Telling Alsander was easy. Telling their fathers however, well that was easy too. She'd never been scared more shitless to tell anyone anything. But as was his way, her father eased her fears.....

 

_Her father and Adan Rumlow sat in the study sipping their scotch while watching some sports game._

 

_She knocked on the door hesitantly. Alsander stood behind her, his hand on her lower back._

 

“ _Come in,” her father called._

 

_She let Alsander lead her to the couch opposite their fathers._

 

“ _Pumpkin?”_

 

_She burst into tears._

 

“ _Jenny,” Adan said as he looked at his goddaughter and his youngest son (who had a look of pure terror in his eyes), “what's wrong Lil Bit?”_

 

_She sniffled into Alsander's shoulder. “You're gonna hate us. Hate me.”_

 

_Kristian Stark pulled his daughter into his arms. “Pumpkin, I could never hate you,” he said with so much love and reassurance in his voice. “Nothing will ever change that. Not even you being pregnant.”_

 

_Alsander gasped and Jenny choked for a second. “H-h-h-how'd you know?”_

 

_Kristian snorted with a raised eyebrow. "Pumpkin, you're my child. I may not always be on the up and up about what's hip or what's fashionable, but I know you.”_

 

“ _What?”_

 

“ _While you might have health problems, I've never known you to have a weak stomach. Smells have never bothered you and you've been crying at the drop of a hat. I'm not the only one to notice.”_

 

_Jenny just shook her head. Alsander held her hand as she laid her head on her father's shoulder. His eyes flitted back and forth between Kristian and his father, who also seemed to not be fazed by the news. “Are you angry?”_

 

“ _Al,” Adan Rumlow said as he sat forward. “While being parents at 18 and 19 is not ideal, the two of you are perfectly capable of making it work. It's not like you won't have the support.” He smiled gently and winked at Jenny._

 

“ _This was so not how I expected things to go,” she uttered softly as her father wiped away her tears._

 

“ _Pumpkin, you have PhDs and a ton of college degrees already, I'm fairly certain raising a baby won't kill you.”_

 

_Jenny let out a barking laugh. “Yes but academia doesn't prepare you for changing diapers and four am feedings.”_

 

“ _No it doesn't. But my point is that you've excelled at anything that's ever been put in front of you. I've no doubt that you'll be an incredible mother. And truthfully, I've always wanted a grandchild. Your brother doesn't seem to be settling down anytime soon. So you're my only hope. It doesn't matter that I'm getting one a few years earlier than planned.”_

 

_Jenny and Alsander looked at Adan to get his take._

 

_He merely smiled and said “Ditto.”_

 

“ _You know what the hardest part will be?”_

 

“ _What?”_

 

“ _Telling your mothers.”_

 

_Not one of the four of them looked pleased at that prospect._

 

Telling Marielena Stark and Catherine Rumlow was certainly not a walk in the park. But having the support of her father, her brother, Aunt Peggy, Darcy, Tony, Adan, Al and his older brothers certainly made it easier. They made it very clear to the pair that she and Alsander had their full support no matter what protests they put up. Especially when her mother brought up marriage....

 

-

 

The day her mother demanded that she and Alsander get married was one of only a handful of times that she'd ever seen her father lose his temper....

 

_Her parents, Faolan, Aunt Kata, Aunt Peggy, Darcy, Pepper, and Tony all sat around the table nursing dessert, coffee and tea._

 

“ _How far along are you?” Pepper asked as she grinned at Jenny._

 

“ _Doctor says thirteen weeks.”_

 

“ _Three to four more weeks and we can find out what she's having,” Faolan said with a lopsided grin. “I need to know if I'm gonna have a niece drowning in a sea of pink or a nephew in a ton of sports memorabilia.”_

 

_Darcy bounced in her seat. “When's your due date?”_

 

“ _The week before Al's birthday. April twenty-third.”_

 

“ _That'll be a nice twentieth bday present for him, and a belated nineteenth birthday present for you” Tony said as he smiled at her._

 

“ _I supposed there's worse families to marry into,” Marielena declared nonchalantly as she cut into her cake._

 

“ _I'm sorry what?” Kristian queried._

 

_Jenny looked down at the table, her hand drifting to her stomach._

 

“ _The only logical thing for them to do is get married.”_

 

“ _Mom,” Faolan said trying to interrupt the fight he could already see brewing._

 

_Tony sighed as he glanced between Darcy and Pepper. The situation was quickly becoming awkward. He knew his aunt had been bound to say something stupid._

 

_Marielena looked incredulous that no one seemed to agree with her. “No Faolan. It's bad enough that your sister was stupid enough to get pregnant at eighteen. The least she can do is marry Alsander so that the Stark family name isn't tarnished."_

 

_Kristian slid his chair back and stood up. His face was red and there was fury in his eyes. “Jenny isn't tarnishing the Stark family name. A name that might I remind you, is only yours because you married into it,” he ground out through clenched teeth._

 

“ _It doesn't bother you at all that we'll be all over the tabloids?”_

 

“ _So that's what this is about? It really has nothing to do with our daughter at all. You're worried how_ _ **you**_ _will end up looking?”_

 

“ _Aren't you?”_

 

“ _Not in the least,” he responded through clenched teeth. “Jenny and our grandchild are my priority. You of all people show know how stupid it is to get married simply because there's a child on the way.”_

 

_Peggy shot her nephews a look._

 

_Faolan stood up and reached for Jenny's hand. “Lil Bit, why don't we show Tony, Pepper and Darcy what you and Al have done so far for the nursery?”_

 

_She nodded, not wanting to be around for the fighting. She hated it when their mother pushed their father's buttons._

 

The yelling that followed was some of the loudest she'd ever heard. Her father rarely raised his voice but he yelled at her mother until he was hoarse. Aunt Peggy ended up dragging him from the dining room at some point. Up until she hugged him, he looked positively murderous. Later that night, she had a dream of her father telling her that he was divorcing her mother. Strangely enough, she was more than okay with it.

 

Unfortunately, it never came true....

 

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love :)


	8. What it is to Burn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Avengers learn things....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title comes from the song used at the end: "What it is to Burn" by Finch.
> 
> I apologize for how long this update took. RL kinda dragged me away the last couple of weeks. In return for the wait, I present a hella long chapter :)

After a series of events and multiple conversations, Jenny went public in a big way. Before she was ready to step into her new position at Stark Industries (which made more than a few board members ridiculously happy by the way), she had to get herself right (her words).

 

And in the process, she showed her friends and family just how powerful social media really was. Her voice was heard in a way she never imagined.

 

The first step toward her goal was to create a tumblr page, along with a new public Facebook page as well as Instagram and Twitter. As much as she loathed the public spotlight, she decided that her outing was for a good cause. She chose to put her new found popularity to a worthy use: chronicling her road to recovery from both years of depression (that she had wrongly bottled away) and her abduction. She shared happiness on her good days and talked through her pain on the bad ones.

 

She wanted to show the public (especially those who weren't fortunate enough to have the incredibly loving support system she did) that there was nothing wrong with the feelings she'd experienced following the loss of her parents, brother and best friend. That if there was nothing wrong with her, than there was nothing wrong with with anyone else who lost themselves along the way. That even if they didn't have a support system at home, there were others all over the world that shared their pain that they could reach out to. Admitting to depression or any sort of mental illness wasn't weakness, it was instead a sign of strength. It was something her father and brother would have been proud of and cathartic in a way she never thought possible.

 

The _You're Never Alone_ campaign became the new face of the Stark Foundation and a partner to the Wounded Warrior Project. Jenny posted a picture to her social media sites of the letters YNA tattooed across her left foot. The world took notice in a big way when all eight of the Avengers followed suit with tattoos of their own. The group showed them off in the campaign's first PSA. Jenny cried hysterically when the donations started pouring in and the hashtag #YNA became the number one trending tag on Twitter. Celebrities and the public alike were posting pictures of their own tattoos on social media.

 

The official story was delivered to the world by a carefully crafted press release came compliments of the Stark Industries PR Department * cough * Darcy * cough *. It stated that both Jenny and Sansa had been abducted while on vacation in South America by a rogue group of Eastern European scientists (which wasn't actually a lie) who'd been discredited by the world scientific community for their ideas of resurrecting Project Rebirth and desire to conduct human experiments. They'd been rescued by the Avengers, but not before being experimented on. The pair were now going to reside in the Avengers Tower. Prior to the press release, Pepper and Darcy had pulled some strings so that everything looked very official. For instance, the FBI and Interpol had released statements of their own saying that they were thoroughly investigating the matter. In exchange for their cooperation, the Avengers promised their aide to both agencies whenever absolutely necessary.

 

When SHIELD inevitably came knocking, they were told to go scratch, and none too politely either. No one (NO ONE!!!!) on SHIELD or any of its affiliated agencies' payrolls was allowed anywhere near either of the Stark girls – there was even a court order stating as much. Natasha, Pepper, Darcy and Tony took great pleasure in reminding Director Fury of the melee that had followed their last request (read: extremely 'impolite' demand) for access to someone in the Avengers Inner Circle (capitals totally warranted).

 

The group had rained down a literal hellfire and brimstone to keep Bucky out of their hands. Queen Frigga had publicly (in front of the UN Security Council) declared the Avengers (including the newly outed Winter Soldier) as valued allies and under the protection of Asgard. So if they'd tried to take him by force, they'd be causing an intergalactic incident. Take that One Eyed Willie (even Bucky and Steve cackled at that one – they had developed an appreciation of _The Goonies_ thanks to their friends).

 

This of course, had been preceded by the Avengers tracking down the Hydra base where Jenny and Sansa had been held. Tony, Bucky and Steve had been especially ruthless upon their arrival. All records had been downloaded then wiped from the database (thanks to a carefully crafted algorithm created by Jenny and loaded to a flash drive), no survivors left (well after Bucky and Natasha had conducted some very 'thorough' and 'creative' interrogations), and the base had been wiped off the map (read: blown sky high). Neither Tony nor Bucky would discuss the exact events leading to the death of one Dr. Alexei Comescu, but they walked onto the quinjet wearing matching feral grins, which was enough of an answer for the rest of the family.

 

There were other instances that led up to the reintroduction of Jennifer Stark to the world. Which had been an eye opening education to the Avengers as well....

 

\--

 

**3 ½ Weeks Post Abduction – Mid June**

 

“Ya know the good thing about all of this?” Jenny asked rhetorically not expecting an answer from anyone. While they were supportive of her attempt to find a silver lining in everything, she could tell they were waiting for her to break. She knew she'd lose it eventually (though she was hoping only Sam or Jamie was around when it happened). But on the same token, she was convinced the Gods gave her another chance for a reason. She was bound and determined to take it with both hands in spite of how she bad felt on the inside.

 

“I don't need glasses or contacts anymore. So I don't have to squint at anything or anyone who is more than five feet away from me. For the first time in my life I can see clearly. I'm no longer anemic or hypoglycemic. So no more bruising from the littlest things. And no more having to set my phone alarm to make sure I eat something every two hours. No more having to worry about feeling shaky, dizzy or exhausted. No more allergies, so no more Claritin-D every 12 hours and no more freggin inhaler. I don't have ta dread the summer anymore. And I'm willing to bet all of my food allergies are gone so I can leave those god forsaken Epi-pens at home now.” She said with a happy (but watery) laugh.

 

“But the best part. The best part is that I can hear. I can hear my baby girl completely. And high pitched noises won't send me into fits of agony anymore. Do ya know how hard it is to play with your baby when most of her toys hurt your ears? What it is to bite your tongue and smile because ya don't wanna scare her?”

 

Tears streamed down her face as she spoke but her smile was wide. There was a freeness to her expression that no one expected.

 

Bucky smiled fondly as he pulled her to him and kissed her forehead.

 

Steve's chest tightened since he could relate to all of the health problems. He knew what it was to be the proverbial kid at the window. And God rest his mother's soul, she'd been a saint about it. From what he understood, her mother smothered her because of it.

 

Bucky could too because he knew what it was like to watch someone you love have to suffer so much.

 

Darcy's eyes welled up. While the family knew about Jenny's health issues, they never realized just how much of a toll they took on her.

 

Tony would deny it until his dying day but his eyes watered as his little cousin spoke. He remembered when Jenny was a kid how his aunt and uncle worried over her.

 

When Jenny spoke about the deafness, Clint found himself relating. He knew the pain of struggling to hear. But SHIELD had taken care of that for the most part. His hearing aids were the most advanced available. And had even been upgraded further thanks to Tony's tinkering.

 

–

 

**The Next Day:**

 

Jenny sat on her balcony staring at the New York skyline. She'd been out there for almost two hours. Just sitting silently, contemplating everything up until now. A pack of Parliament Menthol Lights and a lighter sat on the table beside her along with two huge bottles of Smartwater (one already empty), a bottle of Mountain Dew Code Red (¾ of the way empty) and three empty take out containers from Chili's. Joey and Dami had brought her an order of Texas Cheese Fries and two orders of their Bacon Ranch Quesadillas. Of course they brought her a huge container of Chili's Ranch sauce (her weakness – shit was like crack) with it. They knew her metabolism required more fuel now.

 

It wasn't exactly healthiest of meals, but her boys knew she was in the mood for greasy comfort (but not exactly the best for you) food. Normally something like that was a once in a while treat. She did her best to eat and drink pretty healthy.

 

Even though he made no sound, she knew Sam was behind her. _Was wondering how long it was gonna take him._

 

“Ya gonna take a seat? Or ya plannin ta stand there like Creepy Creeperson,” she queried sardonically.

 

Sam smirked and sat in the chair beside her. “You know Cap and Bucky do the same thing when they're mad, excited or nervous.”

 

“What?”

 

“Your accent,” he retorted with a smile. “It's like your inner Brooklyn comes out. I've heard Joey and Dami do it. Come to think of it, your brother used to do it too.”

 

“Na,” she chuckled. “That shit neva left Fao. There were times that ya'd neva know that boy was college educated with tha way he spoke. All tha boys were like that when they were togetha though.”

 

“And you?”

 

“They neva left me behind if they were home.”

 

“Your brother would be really proud of you. You know that?”

 

Tears pooled in her eyes. She nodded, biting her lip, not trusting herself to speak.

 

“Jenny, talk to me,” he said as he positioned his chair in such a way that they were sitting across from each other.

 

She reached for the cigarettes, quickly lighting one and taking a slow drag. “An say what Sam?”

 

He noted it was the same brand Bucky smoked. Of course Barnes was getting better with that. He resorted to smoking on the bad nights or when he was really nervous or worked up. Which were few and far between these days. “Whatever's on your mind.”

 

She let out a brittle, hollow laugh. “My mind's a dangerous place right now Sam. Has been for a long while. But even more so since my stay at tha illustrious Hotel Hydra.”

 

Jenny just gave him verbal confirmation of what he'd already known. She'd never completely dealt with the deaths of her parents, Alsander and Faolan. At an age where most girls were out living it up to the fullest with their girlfriends, she'd been forced to bury the people who meant the most to her. She'd been the one left behind to pick up the pieces. He had no doubt that if she hadn't had Sansa to live for, she might've joined them. Especially after Faolan's death. Everyone had been certain that would push her over the edge.

 

While losing Riley that night had hurt him a great deal, it killed him and the rest of his unit more than than anything that they weren't able to bring Faolan's body home for her to bury. It broke his heart to watch her stoically accept the flag at his funeral as the empty casket was lowered into the ground. It was of little solace to a young woman who'd already lost so much, that her big brother died a hero in the service of his country only months after the pair lost their parents.

 

That had been the start of keeping everyone who wasn't related to her or her little girl at an arm's length. A coping mechanism because getting close to people was dangerous and it kept her from getting hurt further. In spite of every effort he made, he too was the recipient of her attitude. Sure, she'd still send the occasional email or text message, but that was the best he got. It hurt, a lot more than he thought it would. After all, he'd been part of Faolan's inner circle for years. Every single one of them had come to adore Jenny. The fact that Joey and Damien were the only ones she didn't push away, stung.

 

But she'd had more important things to focus on than hurt feelings: Sansa. If it was one thing Jennifer Stark had excelled at above all else, it was being a mother. She had really and truly shoved her needs aside in favor of her daughter's. Little Sansa Stark-Rumlow was easily the most loved little girl there ever was. She was her mother's world and had probably saved Jenny from herself.

 

“What do you feel?”

 

She let out a strangled noise as the tears started cascading down her cheeks. “What don't I feel?”

 

“Tell me Jenny.”

 

She stood up, pacing agitatedly. “Tell you what Sam? Bout how I feel manic on tha good days an absolutely outta my fuckin mind on tha bad ones? How some days I wish tha world would just stop? That I'm so fuckin angry that my dad, Fao an Al will neva get ta see Sansa grow up? That I feel guilty at times that I get ta watch? Cause I'm pretty sure one day she's gonna ask why I got ta be there an they didn't.”

 

“You think Sansa's gonna hate you?”

 

“Why not,” she asked with a hollow laugh as she swiped at the tears streaming down her face angrily. “I hate me.”

 

That certainly brought a frown to his face. “Why?”

 

“Why what?”

 

“Why do you hate yourself?”

 

The dark look that crossed Jenny's beautiful face bothered Sam more than he cared to admit. “Where would you like me to start?”

 

The pair spent nearly three hours discussing the reasons for Jenny's feelings. Sam had to give her credit, she did a hell of a job bottling up how she felt about the turns her life had taken. He was concerned about the brave face she felt the need to put on for everyone. If she didn't face her feelings, they would spill over and she'd eventually explode.

 

Before he could voice his concerns however, they were interrupted by Thor, Darcy, Bucky and Frigga.

 

“Leave us,” Frigga murmured softly, keeping her eyes on Jenny.

 

“Mother,” Thor pleaded, unsure of what was transpiring.

 

She turned knowing eyes on her eldest son and his friend. “Thor, Darcy please. I mean the young one no harm. She and I have much to discuss.”

 

“Queen Frigga,” Darcy queried.

 

“Children, if it will make you feel better James will stay with us.”

 

Bucky nodded to his friends, not willing to disagree with the queen. Especially after all she and the Asgardian healers had done for him last year.

 

When he'd arrived at the Tower, Queen Frigga happened to be visiting Thor and Jane. She took one look at him and decided that he was worthy of help and not beyond redemption as he believed himself to be. It took a bit of cajoling on her part, but three months after his arrival, he'd made the trip accompanied by Steve, Thor, Jane and Darcy.

 

Thanks to them, all of his memories were recovered. But it wasn't just his mental issues they worked on. All of the scar tissue surrounding his bionic arm was eliminated. They worked hard to better integrate the arm into his body. He now had full sensation throughout the arm. They strengthened it as well. It was reinforced with the same metal that Thor's hammer Mjolnir was made of. “'S fine guys. I'll stay with Jenn.”

 

“Your Grace,” Jenny uttered disbelievingly. There was no reason she could fathom that the Queen of Asgard would want to speak to her.

 

Frigga knelt in front of her and cupped her cheeks. “Oh, you sweet, sweet girl. So much loss in your young life. So much pain and loneliness. Your soul is fractured.”

 

Jenny nodded wordlessly as tears pooled in her eyes.

 

Thor and Sam meanwhile, dragged a reluctant Darcy off the patio and through the doors.

 

“How did you?” The question died on Bucky's lips as he sat behind Jenny.

 

“The same way I knew you needed assistance James. I don't need to use my skills to know that young Jennifer is broken.” She said as she turned back to Jenny. “My younger son is broken. But whereas he chose destruction, you've chosen to help others and bury your pain,” she said as she brushed her hair out of her face. “I can't take the loss away from you. But I can help you lock away the self-hatred. It is unwarranted Little One. Your life was spared for a reason. You were meant to do great things.”

 

Jenny turned her eyes away from Frigga as tears streamed down her porcelain cheeks. The damn broke and sobs tore from her lips. The older woman quickly gathered her into her arms as she stroked her hair and made soothing noises.

 

Bucky's heart broke for Jenny. He knew Sam was worried for her, but he, like the rest of them, hadn't realized just how broken she was until now. It was easily covered by the fact that she was equally grateful for the fact that her health was no longer a concern and that she and Sansa were safe.

 

When asked later on, neither Bucky nor Jenny would go into detail of what happened on the balcony that day – and no one had a clue because Jarvis had already engaged privacy mode the minute Jenny and Sam's initial conversation had started. The only thing Jenny was willing to say was that the Queen of Asgard had helped her to put a lot of things in perspective. Frigga landed herself on Jenny's top ten list of favorite people ever.

 

After two hours, the three of them had walked back into the apartment to find everyone sitting on the couches with varying degrees of worry on their faces. Wordlessly, Jenny had walked up to Sam and hugged him tightly. She dragged him outside where they spoke for roughly ten minutes in hushed tones. Tears streamed down her face and he hugged her back and kissed her forehead.

 

–

 

**That Weekend....**

 

 

**The first thing they learned was that Peggy Carter was no match for the collective puppy face skills of two Starks, five Rumlows, one Stark-Rumlow and a Lewis.**

 

They conned her into staying for movie night which consisted of _Lilo & Stitch, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs_, and _The Wizard of Oz_. It was pretty funny to watch Tony, Damien, Joey, Jenny and Darcy sing, dance and recite lines from the movies word for word. Well Jenny and Darcy they understood more than the guys. Even Damien and Joey got a free pass to an extent since Elena was nine and Irisa and Jennika were six. But Tony was a grown man in his forties with no kids. #Nuffsaid

 

During _Lilo & Stitch,_ nearly everyone in the room, save for Thor, Erik, and Bucky uttered the line _“Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.”_ Even Bruce, Natasha and Clint seemed to know it. Apparently Darcy made Steve watch the movie a few times so he knew the lines as well. It made sense that Darcy, Tony and Jenny seemed to love the movie so much. After all it was about misfits finding family in each other. As much as Bucky would deny it, he found it to be cute as hell. Not that he would admit it even under threat of death....or tickling.

 

Speaking of cute movies, he finally got the 'lone, lonely loner' reference and why Tony had cackled when Darcy proclaimed him to be one. It had confused the hell out of him, Steve and Thor why Tony and Jane kept calling him Sid after that. But now he got it. The group agreed that the next movie night would be devoted to the _Ice Age_ franchise.

 

Sansa cracked the group up when during _The Wizard of Oz_ , she sat up and said “Toto, I don't think we're in Brooklyn anymore.”

 

Tony could resist ribbing Steve about the flying monkeys. Which Darcy found adorable and Jenny and Bucky found hysterical.

 

It had been a night full of raucous laughter. And despite murmuring about overgrown man-children with a distinct lack of maturity, Peggy was all smiles.

 

Sansa had curled up between Tony and Bucky. She was often found cuddling with either of them or Steve when given the chance. They were definitely her favorites. In addition to Joey and Damien of course (who were surrounded by their girls). Even Bruce, Thor, Sam and Erik had gotten some love. Sansa Stark-Rumlow was after all, an equal opportunity cuddler.

 

Darcy and Jenny had laid down on either side of Peggy with their heads in her lap. She smiled fondly as she stroked their hair telling Pepper how she used to do the same thing when they were little girls. Jenny looked up at her aunt with a sad but sweet smile.

 

Everyone saw but chose not to acknowledge the few tears that silently slid down her cheeks. She was grateful for it. While she'd enjoyed the night, it had been one that made her miss Al, her father and Faolan.

 

Pepper brightened their spirits again when she ratted the Trio (with a capital T meaning Jenny, Darcy and Tony) out for having a matching tattoo. No one knew that Tony even had one. But he did on his right calf. As did the girls. They all had the same lyrics from an Incubus song with the night sky in the background. _Remind me that we'll always have each other when everything else is gone._ They along with Faolan, had gotten it on Jenny's 17  th  birthday.

 

Tony made the group laugh as he described his aunts' and uncles' nonchalant reaction to Jenny getting a tattoo versus Marielena Stark's “full tilt diva fit”. Kristian Stark had continued reading his email as his wife screeched like a banshee. When she ran out of breath, he looked up with a mischievous glint in his eye and said “you don't seriously believe that's her first tattoo, do you?”

 

Faolan had walked in on the middle of her fit. His response? _“Ma, shut the hell up would ya? 'S ova and done. Screamin ain't gonna do ya any good otha than givin ya laryngitis an us a helluva headache. Sides, Dad's right. Lil Bit has two othas already.”_

 

-

 

**They learned just how deeply Tony Stark was capable of loving those close to him....**

 

Steve and Bucky watched in wonder as Jenny and Sansa signed back and forth to each other. Back when they were kids, they'd learned it so that Steve could easily communicate when he was sick. His hearing back then had been pretty shitty too. But it was something they were only allowed to use when they were either in the Barnes or Rogers' homes. In their day, ASL wasn't accepted. Those that were deaf were simply expected to read lips. One of the things they'd both been very happy to discover in the 21st century was that for the most part, people who were different or had special needs, tended not to be shunned by society and locked away. They were able to live full lives without fear of being ridiculed.

 

It was a little known fact that Bucky and Steve had taught the Howling Commandos some basic sign language during the war. Made it much easier to communicate when silence was imperative to their mission.

 

Neither of the younger Stark girls were paying attention to anything around them as they got wrapped up in conversation with each other. Jenny was speaking out loud while she signed, Sansa was practically whispering in response.

 

Tony watched from the doorway, his voice low enough that the girls wouldn't hear him (or so he thought) but his teammates would. “When Sansa gets nervous, she resorts to either sign language or Irish Gaelic. But she tends to prefer signing. She learned because of Jenny being half deaf. And whenever Jenny would get sick, it would go completely so we all learned. Especially after the doctors told us that in all likelihood, Jenny would lose her hearing completely by the time she was 35 between the damage from the accident and her health in general. Darcy and I were adamant that she be able to do whatever she wanted in life in spite of it. I hired a former professor from Gallaudet University to teach us. They can lip read too.”

 

“They're ya little sisters, aren't they? Darce and Jenn?” Bucky queried as he eyed the fondness in Tony's eyes and the soft smile on his face. Darcy had the same look in her eyes when he'd first met her as she spoke of him. The pair often fought like siblings.

 

He nodded. “My parents were almost never around. Uncle Kristian was back and forth between here and DC, Aunt Mari couldn't be bothered with Jenny three quarters of the time. Darcy's parents traveled a lot for business before they died. Aunt Peggy and Aunt Kata spent the most time with all of us. Time with them was my only normalcy in those days. Don't get me wrong, I'm not gonna cry poor little rich boy. But there were only so many members of our family that showed any sort of affection. Dad was not a family man, I know he loved me in his own way, but never would he have ever verbalized it. Mom loved me, but had me to shut him up about having a legacy. Faolan joined the Army to get away from all the madness. Uncle Kristian was far more down to Earth but he was always on trips for either Stark Industries or SHIELD. Aunt Mari was always focused on the image the Stark family presented, even more so than my mother. That left me Darcy and Jenny. They didn't care who I was or how rich our families were, I was just Tony. I'm 16 years older than Darcy and 20 older than Jenny but it never mattered. My greatest memories involve the pair of them and later on Sansa.”

 

–

 

**They learned that Darcy, Tony and Jenny all spoke multiple tongues aside from sign language....**

 

Natasha, Clint and Bucky had been wondering (not actively of course) for months where Darcy and Tony learned Russian. Sometime back in the Spring, they'd (well just Natasha and Bucky – Clint knew better than to argue with his wife) been having a heated debate about dinner when the pair came waltzing in with Steve, Sam and Pepper in tow. It confused the hell out of more than a few on the Island of Misfit Toys.

 

_Steve murmured “they look like they're gonna kill each other.”_

 

_Darcy shook her head. “Meh. They're arguing over what to make for dinner.”_

 

_Steve frowned at his fiance. “Seriously? That's it?”_

 

 _Tony nodded as he grinned. “My money's on Barnes. He's got some sorta immunity to the_ I am Black Widow and the Red Room says no _face. He wants to make Italian. I'm all for it.”_

 

_Tony's declaration stopped the Gruesome Twosome in their tracks._

 

_Bucky arched an eyebrow as he looked at Tony. He figured out early on that Darcy knew a few phrases, but he never questioned it. She'd often giggle when he'd curse in Russian out of habit. “Since when do you speak Russian?”_

 

_Natasha turned examining eyes on them. “Since when do either of you speak Russian?”_

 

_Darcy shrugged with a sheepish look on her face. “Would it surprise you to know that both of us speak Spanish? And I'm not too shabby at Irish Gaelic.”_

 

_Tony grinned as he looked around. “I'm fairly decent at French and Italian too.”_

 

_Sam watched as the pair shared knowing smiles. “How?”_

 

_Tony winked at Darcy as he responded. “I have layers.”_

 

“ _Like an ogre,” Darcy finished his line as she stuck out her fist for him to bump. He obliged as she turned to Bucky. “So, Italian? I'll help.”_

 

_He nodded enthusiastically. “I wanna make lasagna.”_

 

“ _Guess I'm outvoted,” Natasha murmured as she planted herself in Clint's lap._

 

_Darcy batted her baby blues in the female spysassin's direction. “Tash if we do Italian tonight, I promise sometime next week I'll make Pirozhki.”_

 

_She smiled brightly. “I'll hold you to that Darce.”_

 

“ _Go right ahead.”_

 

“ _Hell,” Tony said with hope in his eyes. “I'll hold her to that. She makes em with Lapsha. Dammit Boobs, now I want Russian.”_

 

_She patted his shoulder. “Too bad so sad Tone. Next week I promise.”_

 

No one questioned it further, and Darcy made good on her promise which made all three spysassins and the Man of Iron ecstatic.

 

But the incident had been filed away in the back of more than a few minds for later reference....

 

**Which brought on another revelation. One far more curious but certainly explained Darcy and Tony's layers....**

 

While Marielena and Maria Stark as well as Jacinda Lewis were Jenny, Tony and Darcy's mothers, they weren't always the most involved lot in their children's lives, especially in Jenny's case. Besides Peggy, there was one woman who was a constant in their lives growing up....

 

Once Jenny was able to walk without being winded (and she was able to stay awake for more than a few hours at a time), it was decided that Tony, Darcy, Bucky, Steve, Clint and Natasha would accompany her and Sansa to their house in Belle Terre for a long weekend so they could pack up and bring what they wanted to the Tower.

 

Joey was extremely irritated that they picked the weekend that he, Damien and the kids were visiting his father and younger brothers. Secretly, Bucky thought (knew) that was on purpose. Joey had been hovering a bit (a lot) since learning what happened to the girls. While it was clear he loved Jenny and his niece, he didn't seem to realize that he was being overbearing at the moment, Damien had sent Bucky a text message saying ' _My husband will get over it.'_

 

Natasha, Tony, Sansa and Darcy would meet them there with a quinjet. The rest of the group would drive. They would pack what the girls wanted to bring and make sure the house and property were secured. Jenny would then drive her SUV back into the Tower.

 

Bucky insisted on driving his truck. When they got to the garage, Jenny whistled in appreciation. He grinned as she spent a good five minutes walking around, eying it with affection. It was a dark blue Ford F-450 Super Duty Platinum. “Gorgeous,” she declared, barely resisting the urge to run her hands over it.

 

Clint and Steve couldn't hold back their grins at the look on their best friend's face. He was definitely appreciating her appreciation.....and then some.

 

Jenny happily sat in the passenger seat and plugged her address into the GPS for Bucky. It was easier to let him follow the directions on that then possibly missing a turn because she was too busy talking.

 

Because they left so early, it only took an hour and a half to get there. Clint and Steve dozed off while Jenny and Bucky spoke softly.

 

She told him stories about growing up between Brooklyn, DC and Long Island. About how she never went to a proper primary or secondary school because of her intelligence. The only program equipped to truly handle her was in Portland (Oregon not Maine) and while her mother wanted her to go, her father and godmothers refused to allow it. So she had all the best tutors to teach her. By twelve, she had a high school diploma. At thirteen, she started an accelerated college program through NYU and Columbia. In addition, she could speak eleven languages aside from English.

 

Bucky told her that when he was growing up, finishing school was a big deal. He was the first member of his family to do so. Even though his parents were pretty well off, they couldn't afford college so that's when he joined the army. He had a little sister Rebecca who was eighteen years younger than him. She was 80 now, living in Merrick and enjoyed her days surrounded by her six children, nineteen grandchildren, twenty-five great-grandchildren and eleven great-great grandchildren. He had a nephew and great-grandnephew named after him. She smiled when he told her that in addition to English and Russian, he spoke Italian, Latin and a bit of French.

 

They pulled up to a rather large Spanish style home on the end of a cul de sac. It was situated on 62 acres of land and the house furthest back in the village.

 

Once Jenny's fingerprint and retinal scan were approved, the gates opened admitting them entrance to the grounds. The perfectly paved driveway was lined with 6 ft tall arborvitaes.

 

The front door opened and a woman stepped out onto the porch. She looked like a slightly older version of Catherine Zeta-Jones with piercing blue eyes and jet black hair. The guys assumed her to be somewhere in her fifties.

 

A beaming smile lit up Jenny's face as she bounded out of the truck. “Mama,” she cried happily as she dashed into the woman's open arms. When she spoke, it was in Russian with an accent to match.

 

“ _I wasn't expecting you home for another week and next thing I know, your cousin is landing one of his fancy jets in our backyard.”_

 

Jenny giggled and hugged her tighter. When she responded in kind, it surprised them. Her Russian was perfect, indicating she'd been taught by a native speaker. More than likely the woman in front of them. _“It's pretty though. Is it not?”_

 

The woman rolled her eyes and kissed Jenny's forehead. _“Your definition and mine differ greatly Child.”_

 

The woman hugged her again and kissed both of her cheeks before pulling back and examining her with critical eyes. _“There is something about your aura that has changed Little One.”_

 

“ _Yes Mama. There is much to discuss.”_

 

“ _Your cousins said as much when they arrived. This is the company you keep now? The Avengers? I supposed it could be worse.”_

 

Jenny opened her mouth to respond but the woman held her hand up as she went back to English. “Now is not the time Child. Come. Sansa went back to sleep. We'll wake her later. For now, you have introductions to make.”

 

She nodded obediently and turned toward them. “Guys this is Yekaterina Alvarez, my godmother. Mama, this is Clint Barton, Steve Rogers, and James Barnes.”

 

“I thought Peggy was your godmother,” Steve said with a confused frown.

 

“I have two sets of godparents. Aunt Peggy and Uncle Adan were surprisingly enough my mother's choice with Mama and Uncle Howie being Dad's. They couldn't agree so I got four instead of two.”

 

The trio did their best not to squirm under Yekaterina's examination. She seemed to study each one of them for a moment before moving on to the next. Her gaze lingered the longest on Bucky however. He was oblivious to it as Jenny had quickly grabbed his hand and dragged him inside. Her eyes followed them. “They are fated,” she declared softly. “Their auras are already blending together.”

 

“You're a seer,” Clint half asked/half stated. He knew that look very well. His wife wore that same expression quite often. He'd seen it on Jenny's face a few times too.

 

She nodded, a soft smile lighting up her beautiful features. “Well, the Gypsy blood had to be good for something, no? Come, Darcy, Natasha, Tony and I make breakfast. Why you thought leaving Manhattan at 6am without a good meal in your bellies was a good idea is beyond me. More wayward children for me to look after I suppose” she remarked with a smirk as she stepped inside.

 

They followed her wordlessly, glancing at each other in confusion. She led them into the living room and then she disappeared back into the kitchen.

 

As Bucky, Clint and Steve sat down on the couch, they glanced around. The house was huge but not ostentatious. The decor was simple with clean lines in various warm tones.

 

Two dogs came bounding into the room with Darcy behind them. One a little bit slower than the other. The blue Greyhound had a nearly undetectable limp but the gray and white Irish Wolfhound had a prosthetic hind leg. “Guys meet Freya (she said indicating the greyhound) and Hypnos (she patted the Irish Wolfhound).” They obediently sat at her feet.

 

“What happened?” Bucky asked as he nodded his head toward Hypnos.

 

“Both of them were puppies that Faolan and Joey's unit came across just outside of Kabul. They swiped these two and kept em with em teaching them all kinds of neat things like scent tracking. But they served more as therapy dogs than anything. The guys had them for almost a year, when they were attacked. Hypnos actually dragged Joey to safety. When he brought them home, Jenny swiped them practically as soon as they got off the plane. Freya pretty much made a complete recovery but Hypnos had to have a leg amputated. She found a company that deals in animal prostheses and had them make a new one for him.”

 

“I bring them with me when I do events with the Wounded Warrior Project,” Jenny said as she traipsed back into the room with a black cat in her arms. Behind her was another black cat that walked very slowly as it looked around cautiously through its only eye. “Meet Echo and Thea. Please be careful though, Echo startles easily. He's deaf. And with Thea you can only approach her from the right. She gets spooked otherwise.” When she placed Echo on the side of the couch, he immediately (and oddly appropriately) settled himself into Clint's lap. Thea clamored herself into Steve's while Hypnos settled his head in Bucky's lap.

 

“They're twins,” she said smiling as her animals quickly took to her friends. “Their mother was struck by a car on the main road. I pulled over, picked her up and took her to the animal hospital. These two were the only kittens of her litter to survive. I had to nurse them because their mom died in surgery. She had too much internal bleeding.”

 

Darcy smiled fondly at her cousin. Even when they were little, Jenny always went for the strays. She had such a huge heart with a special soft spot for misfits. She'd been with her when she'd come upon the cat. Everyone (her and Joey especially) had told her that it was pointless because the cat was already dead. The vet had told her that it wasn't very likely that the newborn kittens would survive. In spite of the fact that she had a toddler at home, she made the conscious decision to try and nurse the kittens back to health.

 

For weeks, Jenny barely slept since taking care of Sansa and her two adopted feline children. But with her love and dedication, Echo and Thea survived against all odds. The pair were the sweetest, most mild mannered cats she'd ever met. They never gave Jenny any trouble and tended to follow Sansa around as if keeping an eye on her.

 

Steve stroked Thea's back. “Are we bringing them to the Tower?”

 

“Why wouldn't we,” came Tony's response from the kitchen.

 

Jenny nodded grinning as she glanced toward the kitchen. “Yep, he was the one who suggested it first. Said it was no problem. He loves em. I have the sneaking suspicion that they'll be roaming everyone's floors in no time.”

 

“In case you cannot already tell,” Yekaterina said as she walked into the room, “Anthony, Darcy and Jennifer have a penchant for collecting strays. Misfits make the best company and tend to stick together."

 

-

 

“How did you come to end up in the United States?” Natasha asked as she brought more dishes to the sink following breakfast.

 

“The Stark men saved me when I was seventeen. They brought me here and gave me second chance at life.”

 

“How did that happen?”

 

Her expression grew stormy as she rinsed the dishes and loaded them into the dishwasher. “I was born in Yekaterinburg in 1951 to a Russian mother and a Cuban father. You know those were tumultuous times. My father had been a member of the Cuban military sent to Russia to train. The way he told it, the first time he laid eyes on her he fell in love. They were married not even two months later. Mama and Papa were very happy for a long time. I was raised in a loving home full of life and laughter. They taught me English, Russian, Spanish and Latin. Papa had left the military and became supervisor in factory in the city. Mama was a talented seamstress. We lived in a nice house on the outskirts with our two dogs. Mama had no family and Papa had two younger sisters that lived in Miami with relatives. Papa had sent them there to get them out of Cuba. He saw the writing on the wall and knew it was only a matter of time before the government fell. In 1968, the KGB stormed our house and killed Mama and Papa. They thought they were spies for the US because Papa's sisters lived in Florida and he spoke to them once a week. I was questioned for days about what I knew, which amounted to nothing. They decided that I was too defiant for the Red Room Program, so they beat me and tortured me then left me for dead. Kristian and Howard found me in an alley in Kiev. They brought me here and hired a nurse to help me recover. Neither of my aunts wanted to take me so they decided that it was best if I stayed with Kristian and Marielena.”

 

Knowing what she knew about Marielena Stark, she couldn't help the smirk. “I bet she loved that.”

 

She nodded with an oddly satisfied smile on her face. “Howard and Kristian gave her no choice in the matter. She shut up very quickly when she realized I would be of use to her.”

 

“How so?”

 

“Faolan was a baby then. She could not be bothered and Kristian refused to allow her to hire a nanny. He'd been raised by one and would not allow his son to have that particular experience. I fell in love with that little boy the minute I laid eyes on him. Big blue eyes with bright smile just like his father. When Kristian was home, he had Faolan with him at all times. But those were busy days for SHIELD so he was not home as often as he liked. I was the one who took care of Faolan in his absence. Marielena would disappear to whatever corner of the world she saw fit on a whim. She certainly took advantage of being a Stark. Not like Maria. Maria traveled with Howard yes, but when she had Tony, she settled a bit. If she did travel, she didn't drag him along. I would have both of the boys during those times. Thick as thieves is the phrase I believe. Faolan was almost always the ring leader. But little Anthony, even as a toddler, had mischievous streak a mile wide.”

 

“You've known them their entire lives?”

 

Again she nodded. “Good boys. Anthony has not always made the best life choices but he's good boy none the less. His heart was usually in the right place even if he wasn't. Howard was good man but he was so focused on finding Captain Rogers that he lost sight of his son for long time. Kristian's relationship with Faolan was the complete opposite. Faolan was very much his father's son. Just as Jenny is her father's daughter.”

 

Natasha took in every word, learning more about the early lives of her friends. “You raised both of them?”

 

Yekaterina nodded. “I've always looked at all four of them as my own. Jenny and Faolan called me Mama, but never when Marielena could hear. That woman not meant to be mother. The Gods knew I could not have children, so they put me where I would do most good. Darcy incredible little girl too. So full of life from such a small age. Jason and Jacinda loved her very much but running international manufacturing business hard work. They travel much. After Jacinda died, Jason didn't want Darcy with nanny so she spent her time between her aunts and I. Lot of laughter in the halls of that brownstone in Brooklyn when they were children. Two little girls giggling while being chased by whichever of the Stark, Lewis or Rumlow men were around with Alsander in tow to keep them out of trouble. Girls had them wrapped around their fingers.”

 

“They love you very much,” Steve said as he and Bucky joined the conversation. “Anyone can see it. Darce and Tony have talked about their Aunt Kata if they weren't talking about Peggy, but I never put two and two together until today. You and Peg mean everything to them.”

 

Yekaterina smiled brightly. “Margaret Carter-Lewis is a saint and one of my dearest friends. How she's juggled the men in this ridiculous but loving family with such skill and yet made it look easy is a wonder. I learned much from her over the years. If it weren't for the affection that she has for them, a few, especially the Stark men, probably would've been dead years ago. Remember when she shot at your shield?”

 

Steve opened his mouth in protest and Bucky smirked.

 

She cut him off before he could get a word out. “Margaret did much worse to Howard on few occasions to teach him his place. And then Maria came along. She was very strong willed woman. Howard no match for the two together. Anthony's Pepper reminds me much of them. She's exactly who he needs. I can't wait until they give Peggy and I grandchildren to spoil. It will be payback for everything he put us through when he was child.”

 

“I can only imagine,” Natasha murmured with a grin.

 

“What about Jenny?” Bucky asked curiously. He heard Tony, Darcy, Peggy and Joey's perspectives on Jenny growing up. He wanted to hear from the woman who raised her.

 

The smile that graced Yekaterina's face could only be described as blinding. In her eyes was a love that could easily take someone’s breath away. It was akin to the expression Jenny had for Sansa. “That child has spent her life defying the odds. If you were to look up perseverance in the dictionary, I'm certain you'd find her picture there. The first four months of her life, the doctors kept telling Kristian and I that she wasn't going to make it. We sat by her side day and night. Marielena couldn't be bothered. She would pull the why me routine when her friends or the media were around but many times I heard her say that it wasn't worth getting attached to a child that probably would not make it. Truth be told, I think Jenny being born prematurely was Marielena's doing. I've never been able to prove but I wouldn't have put it past her. And I wasn't the only one. But that's neither here nor there now. The Gods meant for that little girl to survive. Like every other Stark before her, she does not know the meaning of defeat.”

 

Natasha, Steve, Bucky and Clint all nodded.

 

She smiled knowingly as she took a seat at the island and motioned for them to do the same. “Now, who wants to tell me what happened to my girls? Jenny is different. I feel it and I see it. Little Sansa too. Their eyes are bluer than they were before, but that's not all. And do not spout classified nonsense to me. I probably have higher clearance than all of you.”

 

Natasha knew she was right. While she'd been talking to everyone in the living room, she'd taken a moment to pull up the dossier on Yekaterina Alvarez. While she was never a SHIELD agent, she had Level 9 clearance solely because of the company she kept and the children she raised. But her files were buried, very deeply and redacted. Very redacted. Probably by Jenny and Kristian no doubt.

 

“They were kidnapped by Hydra.”

 

A string of Russian curses came out under her breath. Bucky and Natasha chuckled in spite of the situation.

 

Needless to say once the whole story was out, Jenny got an earful from Yekaterina. The pair had a very _spirited_ conversation on the back patio for over an hour. Jenny mostly sat there wincing as she was handed her ass in multiple languages.

 

So yeah, it was good that she spoke more than one......

 

–

 

**They learned that Jenny wasn't the only one struggling with guilt....**

**And that Natasha was more squishy than she let on....**

 

 

**Fourth of July**

 

“Jaime c'mon,” Jenny pleaded with puppy dog eyes as she held onto the side of the pool.

 

“Can't get the arm wet Doll,” was his response. He actually wanted very badly to join their splashing around but had been waiting for the invitation.

 

“Bullshit,” she said with a smirk. “I think you can, and even if you couldn't, I can fix that right quick.” Her eyes closed in concentration for a brief second.

 

He felt a warmth go the whole length of his arm. “What was that?”

 

“That was my waterproofing you even though we both know you're full of it. Now c'mon. If we end up playing chicken, I don't intend to lose. Get that fine ass of yours in this pool soldier.”

 

He jumped in, yanking her into his arms. “Who am I to refuse a pretty lady?"

 

**Meanwhile, on the Other Side of the Pool....**

 

“Aren't you worried about how well she's been taking this whole thing?” Bruce asked as he glanced at Jenny splashing around with James. “Are we going to continue to ignore it and just wait for her to crash?”

 

Tony shook his head at his best friend. “Jenny's always been like that though,” he said pushing up his sunglasses as he watched his little cousin with the object of her affection. “Rolling with the punches is her super power.”

 

“Be that as it may.”

 

“Bruce, I won't push her. She'll have her moments but she'll melt down in private.”

 

“I don't like it Tony.”

 

“I know you don't and I appreciate that you care so much. But trust me, she's not like us. She won't self destruct. And even if she did, we won't let her. _I_ won't let her. 'Sides, it's not as if she's pretending it didn't happen. She talks about it.”

 

“Veiled with sarcasm.”

 

“She's a Stark and a Lewis, Bruce. That's what we do. You've spent enough time around Darcy and I to know that.”

 

“Out of all of us, she's the one who's the most adaptable to change. In the long run, she's gonna be right as rain. Her and Sansa both. I know she's been having nightmares but Barnes helps her through them and she's been talking to Sam. Mostly, I don't think she can be that angry because the shit Hydra gave her changed her life. Her health held her back in a lot of ways. My aunt kept her cooped up all the time because it, which led to fights between her and Aunt Kata. If my uncle was away, we had to sneak her out. Literally. She had to climb down from the second story balcony of her room just so I could take her to a carnival when her and Darcy were teenagers. That's really how we bonded.”

 

“You and Jenny?”

 

“No, me and Boobs. I love that kid just as much as I do Jenny. Darcy was the one who perfected the art of providing a distraction. Aunt Mari kept her in a bubble. She acted as if stepping into the real world was gonna end her which put a lot of distance between them. I think they resented each other. Darce and I saw how much it was killing Jenny's spirit so we banded together. Jenny had a relationship with Uncle Kris that no one could touch. They'd spend hours together doing god knows what but there was always laughter. Always. She never had that with Aunt Mari. Aunt Kata yes, but never Aunt Mari. At least not that I ever saw.

 

The one thing I've always loved about Jenny is her wide eyed wonder and endless optimism in spite of whatever else was going on with the world. Her ability to put on a brave face and take whatever fate threw her way always astounded me and still does. In spite of everything, she's maintained that _things happen for a reason and there's a silver lining no matter the situation_ attitude that she's had since she was a tiny little thing. She's smart as hell, dare I say even more snarky than me at times but so damn loving. She's the best one of us I think.”

 

“She always will be,” Darcy said as she flopped down in the chair on the other side of Tony. “And for the record, I love you too Tone. I know you hate conversations with feels but I really do.”

 

Tony looked down with almost a bashful look on his face. “Yeah I do Darce. I know I don't say shit like that enough.”

 

“'S okay Tone, even though ya don't say it, I see it and it hear it in everything,” she said as she reached over and kissed his cheek.

 

He smiled at her and winked. “I feel a hella lot better having with the family under one roof now.”

 

“You and me both,” she said as she sat facing him and Bruce with her legs crossed. “I know she can take care of herself but I'd rather have her where I can see her. We almost lost her twice. And once we didn't even know about.”

 

Bruce watched as the pair's eyes and expressions grew stormy. “You can't blame yourselves for that one.”

 

“B,” Darcy said chewing her lip. “You can't talk us outta this one. We got so wrapped up in the Avengers shit that we practically let our little cousins slip through our fingers. Us? The only family she's got left?” Tears pooled in her eyes as Tony grasped her hand in his. “Neither of us even knew she was missing. Fuck, I didn't even know she was in Brazil. She could've been dead or even worse by the time we'd figured it out.”

 

“Never again,” Tony murmured, watching as Jenny splashed around with Bucky, Steve and Sansa.

 

“Never again,” Darcy whispered in agreement.

 

**Back Across the Pool....**

 

“Steve, Jaime can you watch Sansa for a few?” Jenny asked.

 

It was not lost on them that her expression shifted from one of happiness to one of sadness. Tears welled up in her eyes and she wiped at them with the heals of her hands.

 

“Sure Doll. You okay?”

 

“Right as rain,” she murmured distractedly. “I'll be back shortly.”

 

With that, she got out of the pool, grabbed her bag and headed for the roof.

 

Steve caught Clint's equally concerned gaze. His eyes shifted toward the way Jenny exited and mouthed _I got her._

 

Steve nodded his head in thanks.

 

“Uncle Steve catch me!” Sansa squealed in excitement as Bucky continued to toss her up and down, in and out of the water.

 

Thankfully she didn't catch the concerned looks he and Bucky were shooting each other over her head.

 

**The Roof....**

 

In spite of the fact that Clint made no sound, Jenny knew he was there. But she didn't say anything. She did roll her eyes though since they all seemed to think they were capable of sneaking up on her.

 

He sat down beside her as she smoked her cigarette slowly and quietly. “I would say those things'll kill ya, but I doubt it'd be true.”

 

She pursed her lips, nodding distractedly. She gazed out onto the Manhattan skyline. “Yeah,” she uttered with a sardonic laugh. “A lotta things woulda killed me before Brazil.” She took another drag of the cigarette and released it with a heavy sigh.

 

“So am I right in guessing you heard their conversation?”

 

“Super soldier hearing I guess. Steve and Jaime told me it would happen and that I'd have to learn to ignore conversations in spite of it. It's a hell of a lot different than the other end of the spectrum.”

 

“Yeah,” he responded, lighting up a cigarette for himself.

 

The tone in his voice told her that he could sympathize. “You too?”

 

He nodded, taking a drag. “I have permanent implants just behind both my ears. Before that I'd been wearing hearing aids since my discharge from the Army.”

 

“Do you mind if I ask what happened?”

 

“I was too close to an IED explosion.”

 

Her eyes grew stormy and hurt flashed across her features as she took another drag. “You're lucky that didn't kill you. Really lucky.”

 

“I know,” he replied softly. “Most of my guys weren't though.”

 

“My older brother Faolan was killed during an ambush,” she murmured just barely above a whisper. “His unit had rescued twenty-five Afghan schoolgirls from a terrorist cell. But that night, as they were moving out, most of his unit and eight of the girls died when they were attacked. Shooting started from all directions. They had to call in the Air Force to rescue the survivors. Joey lost one of his legs that day. I'll never forget the feeling of getting the knock on the door. It was only three months after my parents and Sansa's father Alsander were killed in the car accident that took my hearing.”

 

“That's rough.”

 

“Yeah, it was. Those first few months after losing all of them, Sansa was the only thing that kept me going. But then I realized I was lucky too. Like insanely one in a gazillion odds lucky. In spite of me being thrown from the car, and losing most of the hearing in my right ear, I had no broken bones and the baby was perfectly fine. The Gods saved us that day. I was so thankful but I had immense guilt cause I lived and they didn't. I still do but I've been working through it. Tony and Darcy both begged me to move in with one of them while I got back on my feet.”

 

“But you said no.”

 

“But I said no.”

 

“So what'd you do?”

 

“I moved into the guest house that Joey and Damien had on their property. As thankful as I was to be alive, there were too many memories in my parent's house. Everywhere I looked, I saw Dad, Fao and Sander.”

 

He noticed she didn't mention her mother but chose not to acknowledge it. He had the feeling that what Tony, Yekaterina, and Peggy had said about Marielena Stark had only been the tip of the iceberg.

 

“That's understandable.”

 

“Yeah. So I tried to get my shit straight while waiting for Sansa to make her appearance. By then, Joey had gotten his prosthetic and was going for physical therapy. His therapist put him in touch with the Wounded Warrior Project. So I started tagging along. It helped a lot. To be able to help the soldiers and their families who really needed it. I also got to meet two of the girls that my brother had helped to save. They live on Long Island with their adoptive parents,” she said as she teared up. “Because of Faolan, Joey and the others, they'll get to grow up safe, warm, loved, with the world at their fingertips. My brother's sacrifice wasn't in vain. The least I can do is give my time to help those who get injured fighting that battle for us,” she declared proudly.

 

Clint swallowed thickly as emotion pooled in his chest. He'd lost a lot of buddies in the Army prior to joining SHIELD. And he knew first hand the damage that PTSD could do, especially if untreated. “That's admirable.”

 

Jenny shook her head. “No what's admirable is the countless men and women who willingly put their lives on the line for our rights and freedoms every day. What's admirable is the fact that my brother and his friends gave their lives to save a bunch of little girls from death at the hands of madmen so that they could have a better life. The kind of courage that, that takes is incredible. What's admirable is what the Avengers do. I know none of you see yourselves as heroes but you are. You really are,” she said passionately.

 

_Well damn, how can I argue with that?_

 

–

 

“You know for being a spooked former spysassin trying to find his place in the world, Bucky is surprisingly tactile with her,” Darcy said as she glanced out the window. He and Jenny were cuddled up together on a chaise lounge watching Sansa play in the pool with Clint, Sam and Steve. She was burrowed into his left side, his metal hand absently stroking her hip. Her eyes were closed and there was a soft content grin on her face. Her head lay on his chest. The pinky of her right hand was intertwined with one his fingers. Darcy never remembered seeing either look more peaceful.

 

Sansa was laughing, screaming and clapping happily as her new uncles tossed her back and forth between them.

 

“Leave them be. It will do them good,” Natasha responded as she watched them with a small fond smile. “They've both been starved of affection for far too long.”

 

Darcy turned to her friend, her expression concerned. “Are we sure this is a good idea? While Jenny is my blood and I love her more than life itself, I don't want him getting hurt either.”

 

Natasha smiled that _'The Black Widow knows all and therefor your argument is invalid'_ (Tony was totally responsible for naming it that by the way – he even made her a shirt that said so) grin that they'd all come to know. “They may falter and hit bumps in the road but they'll make it. Take a good look at them. Can you honestly say you're not seeing the same thing I am? That this isn't the beginning of something real and true, that will endure anything?”

 

Darcy turned back to observe the pair with a little _hmm_. “You once said love is for children.”

 

“I've said it numerous times over the years. But I think it was more to make myself believe it than anything. Love can be our greatest weakness, but it can also be our greatest strength. I don't believe in coincidence. Things happen for a reason. Tell me, how did Jenny manage to teleport Sansa and herself here in spite of how weak she was? How is it that in the middle of a mission, Bucky was finally able to break his programming, then regain his memories and find Steve? We can help both of them but they have a bond none of us can touch.”

 

“You really do love Clint, don't you?”

 

She nodded. “It's sad that it took almost losing him to Loki to get me to see it. When Coulson told me he was compromised I almost lost it. Getting him back was all that mattered. And the way SHIELD tried to railroad him after the Battle of New York opened my eyes to so many things. They asked me to choose between the job and the man I love. There was no contest. I couldn't work for an agency that just turns it back on one of it's best agents all because five people who've never seen a day of fighting in their lives said so. The truth didn't matter. Truthfully, SHIELD and the Council have been looking for a reason since Clint brought me back to HQ years ago. He'd been sent to kill me and made a different call. When I asked him why, he told me it was my eyes. That something in them told him that he wasn't wrong. There were times I hated him for it but he's saved me from myself. I love him enough to return the favor.”

 

“And you think that Jenny and Bucky could have that?”

 

She nodded. “They at least deserve a shot. Have you ever seen his eyes whenever Jenny touches or curls into him? He's shocked and in awe of the fact that fear has never factored into the equation with her. She gives him the affection that he so desperately craves even though he never knew he needed it until she came along. When she looks at him, she sees beyond the Winter Soldier, beyond the man that he once was. She sees and takes him exactly as he is now. Steve is still finding his footing in this world, as much as he wants to help Bucky, he can only do so much. He can only understand so much. She's there without question and isn't looking for anything in return. He's not accustomed to that. It's heartbreaking. That he sees himself as unworthy of such things. But she'll get him there.”

 

“And Jenny?”

 

“Watch the pleasure that crosses her face anytime he hugs or puts his hands on her. It’s priceless. She's not used to someone who isn't family giving her that much affection freely. It's obvious. She needs it so badly. It might be subconscious on his part, but it's already done wonders for her self-esteem. Do you believe in soulmates?”

 

“Yeah, I do.”

 

“Watch them. Tell me that you're not willing to bet the whole pot that they belong together. And I'll call you a liar. It doesn't take the gift of sight to see it.”

 

“What?” Natasha asked with that arched Black Widow eyebrow that Darcy no longer found intimidating.

 

Darcy smirked at her. “You can be squishy and do feels when you want.”

 

She chuckled as she bumped her side good naturedly. “Shhh. Don't tell anyone. Wouldn't wanna ruin my reputation.”

 

–

 

**They learned that Jenny could sing. But not before they learned a thing or two more about Bucky.....**

 

Jenny bit her lip as she saw Sansa jump out of the corner of her eye. She was seconds away from taking her little girl back inside. Guilt washed over her in waves. She should've known better. Sansa was still reeling from their ordeal and fireworks weren't exactly helpful with recovery.

 

Natasha put a hand on her arm to stop her both feeling and seeing the guilt on her friend's face. “He's got her Jenny. Just watch. I know it's killing you but this needs to happen.”

 

“She's right Child,” Yekaterina murmured in agreement as she brushed down Jenny's hair.

 

She nodded, biting her lip, torn between reaching for her daughter and seeing what Jaime would do with her. Tears clouded her vision as she realized no matter what she locked away in her daughter's mind, she was still at the very least mildly traumatized by what happened during their stay at Hotel Hydra.

 

Bucky had watched for a good five minutes out of the corner of his eye as the little girl smiled whenever Jenny would turn toward her. Then she'd flinch with every firework that went off behind her mother's back. _Brave little thing. Doesn't wanna upset her Mama._ He sat down beside her. “I did the same thing last year ya know.”

 

It wasn't a lie. Last year, on the 4th, he spent most of the day holed up in Stark's personal library. The fireworks had scared the ever loving shit out of him. He had a full blown panic attack and in turn really spooked poor Darcy. Stevie tried to calm him down but it was no use. It was Clint who brought him to the library and clued him in on the soundproofing.

 

She chewed her lip nervously (just like her Mama he noted) as she trembled when another bang went off. He didn't hesitate in pulling her into his lap. Wordlessly, she threw her tiny arms around her neck. He rubbed her back in soothing circles as she slowly matched her breathing to his. _She's seen Jenn do this. We're gonna have to talk about that later. So much stronger than she should have to be at this age._

 

“'S okay Princess,” he murmured kissing her head. “It's just noise. A lot of pretty noise. You're safe here. No one's gonna hurt ya ever again, Sweetheart.”

 

She looked up at him with wide eyes, the uncertainty and fear obvious in her cerulean depths. “No one?”

 

“No one, Princess. I won't let them. Your Mama won't let them. Neither will anyone else. You couldn't be safer.”

 

“That's why Mommy brought us here.”

 

He nodded. “Your Mama's real smart, Sweetheart. She brought you here so that we can protect the both of you.”

 

“Because you're the good guys.”

 

“Yeah Darlin, we're the good guys.”

 

“Because you're the Avengers.”

 

He nodded with a smile. Up until his first real mission two months ago, he didn't consider himself an Avenger. His team mates and the general public however, did.

 

Thanks to Darcy and Pepper, he was painted in the media as an American hero that was held captive and tortured against his will. It took him a long time to work through the guilt and regain his memories but he was finally at the point where he could hold his head high.

 

He, James Buchanan Barnes, finally accepted the fact that he was in fact a prisoner of war who was used as a weapon by Hydra against his will. The government had officially cleared him of any wrong doing last year after a closed door Congressional hearing in which he, Steve, Peggy and a handful of others had testified. The hearing ended with him receiving an apology from both the Speaker of the House and the President for all that he'd been through. He managed to keep himself in check until they got home. Then he holed himself up in his room where Darcy and Natasha found him and he cried for two hours straight in their arms.

 

From that day forward, it was nothing but progress. While he'd occasionally have a flashback or a panic attack, they were getting fewer and far between. Each new day was a blessing and he was hell bent on clearing the red from his ledger.

 

That hearing had been instrumental in the having the government change his KIA status to a now recovered POW. He reclaimed his identity and proceeded to build himself a life. It was pretty funny to see the reaction at the DMV when he went to get his license. _That was some serious entertainment. Apparently I wear 97 very well._

 

Like Steve, he eventually received years worth of back pay (which gave him a pretty sizable bank account – not bad for the boy from Brooklyn) as well as the Army Medal of Honor presented to him by President Ellis himself.

 

“The Avengers protect everyone right?”

 

She nodded.

 

“You and your Mama have family here right?”

 

Again she nodded almost imperceptibly, her voice so low that if he didn't have enhanced hearing, he would've had to resort to reading her lips. But her hearing was just as good as his, Steve's and Jenny's so she knew he'd hear her. _Smart girl,_ he thought proudly. Little girl was so freaking smart just like her Mama.

 

“Aunt Darcy, Uncle Tony, Aunt Pepper and Uncle Steve. I know they're really our cousins but Uncle Tony and Aunt Darcy are like Mommy's brother and sister. So that makes Aunt Pepper like Mommy's sister too. And since Uncle Steve is marrying and Aunt Darcy, he's kinda like Mommy's brother too.”

 

He nodded, stroking her head gently, like his Mama used to do to Rebecca when she was little. “So that makes ya one of us Darlin. You and your Mama both. You guys belong here with us. With your family. With the Avengers.”

 

Her eyebrows shot up to her hairline. “Really?”

 

“Yes really,” he said tapping her nose with his finger and a smile. “The Avengers protect the world but they protect their own even more. Did ya know that?”

 

She shook her head.

 

“No ones ever gonna take you or your Mama again Princess,” he said as he kissed her nose. “We'd never let that happen. They'd have to get through us first. They'd have to get through _me_ first.”

 

“Promise?” she asked softly her expression nearly breaking his heart.

 

“Pinky promise,” he replied sticking out the pinky of his flesh and bone hand the way he'd seen Jenny do with her.

 

“Okay,” she said as she locked her tiny pinky with his. He was in awe of just how small she was compared to him. The thought made his protective instincts that much greater.

 

“Good, now that we got that outta the way, how's about ya turn around and watch all the pretty colors with me?”

 

She nodded eagerly. Before she spun herself around, she raised herself up a bit and kissed his cheek.

 

“That's my girl,” he whispered as he cuddled her against his chest as they sat back and watched the fireworks. At some point, she locked her left pinky with his. His heart melted that this sweet little girl had no fear of him or his bionic arm.

 

Unbeknownst to Bucky and Sansa, Jenny and Darcy watched the exchange. Darcy bumped Jenny's shoulder with her own. The pair smiled at each other.

 

Natasha smiled knowingly from Clint's arms. Yekaterina caught her eye and grinned.

 

-

 

Later that night, no one spoke as Jenny strummed the guitar and started to sing. They were too captivated by her voice.

 

Bucky quickly got lost in the lyrics and the hauntingly beautiful way she sung them. He'd heard the original version of the song the other day when she was singing to it in the kitchen. He'd noticed that she like to use music to express her emotions when she was unable to put words to them. This song though - it was oddly fitting for them.

 

And he wasn't the only one who thought so.

 

_Today's on fire_   
_The sky is bleeding above me, and I am blistered_   
_I walk these lines of blasphemy, every day_   
_And still_

_Like a bad star, I'm falling faster down to her_   
_She's the only one who knows, what it is to burn_

_I feel diseased_   
_Is there no sympathy, from the sun_   
_The sky's still fire_   
_But I am safe in here, from the world outside_

_So tell me_   
_What's the price to pay for glory_

_Like a bad star, I'm falling faster down to her_   
_She's the only one who knows, what it is to burn_

_Today is fine, and she burns_   
_Today is fine, and she burns_   
_She burns_

_Like a bad star, I'm falling faster down to her_   
_She's the only one who knows, what it is to burn_

–

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love :)


	9. Undiscovered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snippets as time goes by.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title comes from the song "Undiscovered" by James Morrison. If you've never heard his music, I highly suggest you check it out. The man has an amazingly soulful voice and the lyrics are powerful. While writing this chapter, I was playing his album "Undiscovered", one of my favorites.

It was a typical Saturday. Meaning, Jenny, Bucky, Darcy and Steve had movie night at Jenny and Bucky's place. Sansa was sleeping over at Clint and Natasha's and Yekaterina was visiting cousins in Brooklyn.

 

It had been a surprise at first the way Natasha and Clint took to the little girl. On the weekends, she'd frequently sleep at their apartment. They'd go out for ice cream and then Clint would play video games with her. That didn't mean Darcy and Steve, Pepper and Tony or Jane and Thor were ignored by the little girl. She loved all of them very much. The group had quickly gotten used to the fact that like Darcy and Jenny, Sansa was a hugger. She liked to give and get hugs. Everyone got them from her. But Sansa was pretty partial to her new aunt and uncle, which was just fine by them.

 

Halfway through the third movie, Jenny had fallen asleep against Bucky. He carried her up to her room and laid her under the covers. He'd then gone back down to finish the movie.

 

The peace and quiet was interrupted about an hour later.

 

A blood curdling scream ripped from Jenny's lips as she sat up clutching her neck. She gasped for breath as she panted, reality coming back to her.

 

On instinct, Bucky had dashed up the stairs to Jenny's room within seconds.

 

No sooner did he sit on the edge of the bed did Jenny scramble into his lap and start sobbing into his neck. He held her to him, stroking her hair and kissing her forehead. “Shhhh,” he murmured as he rocked her gently. “'S okay Baby. 'S gonna be okay.”

 

Steve and Darcy watched from the doorway as Bucky sat there holding Jenny, rocking back and forth. He murmured comforting words.

 

He looked at them after about ten minutes and mouthed _I've got this._

 

While she was loathe to leave her cousin, Darcy remembered her and Natasha's conversation a few days earlier. She nodded with a fond smile and mouthed back _thank you._

 

Bucky kissed Jenny's forehead again and resisted the urge to smile. Whether she knew it or not, the fact that Darcy trusted him implicitly with Jenny meant the world. While she had only been in the Tower for a short time, she was precious to him. He'd never do anything to hurt her. So the fact that Darcy realized it meant a lot. Probably way more than she realized. _Not a problem Doll. I'll take care of her_ , he replied.

 

She winked and blew him a kiss as she dragged a reluctant Steve behind her.

 

–

 

“ _Tonight's top story: seems like there might be love in the air once more at the Avengers Tower. Stark Industries Director of Cybersecurity and heiress, Jennifer Stark has been seen out and about with the Winter Soldier himself, Retired Army Sargent James Barnes. While there has been no official word from either camp, sources close to the pair say they've been spending a lot of time together since Jennifer and her daughter Sansa moved into the Avengers Tower four months ago. And I have to say, they're looking pretty cozy._

 

_Most recently, they were spotted this past weekend at the Staten Island Mall taking little Sansa to Build-A-Bear Workshop. The trio were there for approximately forty-five minutes during which time Sansa made three bears, including the Winter Soldier from the Avengers line. The little imp was all smiles as they left the store. She sat upon Barnes' shoulders while Jennifer held his hand and leaned into his side. They of course were followed by a contingent of body guards. Which I suppose is to be expected for the heiresses and the SI Director of Security slash newest Avenger._

 

_While most people didn't seem to realize who they were, they reportedly spent a few minutes signing autographs and talking to some fans._

 

 _Seems Jennifer was recognized more than Barnes was. Not too surprising however considering the publicity of her_ You're Never Alone _campaign for the Stark Foundation and the Wounded Warrior Project. In just a few short months, the program has raised tens of millions to aide in programs for at risk youth, a mental illness awareness program for the NYC Public School System, programs for both returning vets and their families, as well as the families of members of the Armed Forces that have been killed in action._

 

 _According to sources, she sat in the food court talking to a group of teenage girls for quite some time. Before she left, she took pictures with them, and gave each a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Witnesses say that they had been engaged in some pretty heavy conversation and she wiped away tears from both her eyes and theirs as well as held their hands. One of the girls, Lisa Adams, posted the pictures to her Instagram later that evening and tagged Jennifer._ It was truly an honor to meet Jennifer Stark today, _she wrote,_ she has been such an inspiration. Thank you Jenny. Because of you, I was able to come clean with my parents about my own struggle with depression. You've given me the strength to change my life. #YNA #JennyRocks #Inspiration #BestRoleModelEver. _Jennifer shared it to her three million plus followers._ Had some great conversation with some amazing girls today. Didn't wanna leave them. Love you back! #NotBrokenJustALittleBentButStillBeautiful #SoBlessedToDoWhatIDo#AmazingTimeWithAmazingGirls #YNA #StrengthInNumbers

 

_Apparently James and Sansa had lunch on the other side of the food court and had some laughs while they waited patiently for her. They left not long after that swinging the giggling little girl between them._

 

_Last week, they were spotted taking her dogs for an early morning walk. The pair stopped for a coffee at the cafe on the first floor of the Avengers Tower as they sat and talked. Witnesses say that he had his arm around her the entire time._

 

_Nearly three weeks ago, they were attached at the hip during the Annual Stark Foundation Gala. Can I just say they looked incredible? He wore a tailored Armani suit and she wore a gorgeous black and dark gray gown from fledgling designer Carissa Lawson. They danced together all night. When they weren't spinning around the dance floor, they were found smiling and laughing in the presence of the Avengers and their significant others, including Jennifer's cousins, Darcy Lewis and Tony Stark and James' BFF Captain America himself, Steve Rogers. None seemed surprised by the closeness of the pair._

 

_Bottom line: all signs point to a romance between the Soldier and the heiress._

 

_This is one story we'll certainly be watching closely.”_

 

Rebecca Barnes-Martinez muted the TV and looked at her older (chronologically at least) brother with a critical eye. “Well at least Jenny looks fantastic in all of the pictures.”

 

“What bout me?” Bucky asked with an arched eyebrow. He sat in the recliner opposite his sister. He, Jenny, Sansa, Steve, and Darcy were at her house for their monthly family dinner.

 

Since he 'got right in tha head' (his words of course – Rebecca's term for it was 'since he put all his marbles back in the jar'), he'd been coming around at least once a month to spend time with his sister, brother-in-law, and their massive bunch of hellions. Darcy had been the one to track her down. He'd actually broke down and cried when he found out his younger sibling was still alive.

 

_Rebecca had shown them very quickly that she possessed as much sass as Bucky did when she took one look at him and said “I get it's a new age, but what's with the hobo look? There's no mirrors where you're livin these days?”_

 

_He cackled loudly and hugged his sister tightly. Both would later steadfastly deny that they cried at their reunion._

 

_She made Darcy snicker when she turned her gaze on Steve. “I remember you being a scrawny little shit. Now ya look like an Abercrombie and Fitch ad. What the hell?”_

 

_Darcy giggled. “Oh I like her. Where can I get one?”_

 

_Rebecca laughed and pulled her into a hug. “Thank you, for bringing them back to me.”_

 

“ _I had to,” she responded with a fond smile. “I'm kinda partial to these idiots. That and I needed some more ammo against them. Figured you've gotta be chock full of stories.”_

 

_Mischief gleaned in Rebecca's eyes. “Oh yes, you must give them a run for their money.”_

 

“ _And I love every minute of it.”_

 

Bucky's parents had never cared much for societal norms when he was growing up. They were very progressive in their time. Joseph and Elizabeth Barnes raised their children to be color and gender blind. They taught the kids that a person's moral character was what defined them. So it didn't surprise him much when Darcy had told him that his brother-in-law Alonzo was Hispanic.

 

But after getting caught up on a fair amount of history, he knew enough to know that his sister and her family must have faced a great deal of adversity in the past. She spent her whole life giving the proverbial finger to what society deemed normal. She'd gone to college, became a doctor (child psychologist), married a fellow doctor (trauma surgeon), and built the American dream for herself. He couldn't be prouder of her if he tried.

 

It only made sense that his sister and Darcy hit it off right from the start.

 

So of course, it had been the same with Jenny. Rebecca took to her and Sansa right quick.

 

“Yeah, yeah,” she retorted with a roll of her eyes. “They got your good side.”

 

He rolled his eyes back. “Thanks for the vote of confidence Bec.”

 

“Seriously Jay, what's going on with you and Jenny?”

 

“Now or what I'm hoping for?”

 

“Jay, if you don't end up marrying that girl, I'm gonna find some way to bring Ma back to haunt you.”

 

“Tell me how ya really feel,” he quipped as he sat back.

 

She sighed. “You and I both know that you'll never find another woman like her. She's perfect for you. Anyone can see that. Darcy and Steve tell me you've been attached at the hip since she moved in. I can't think of anyone who deserves a family more. That's why God put you in the path both of that girl. I'd say you've more than paid your dues big brother. Take what's in front of you and hold onto it with both hands. Never let it go. Not everyone is lucky enough to get a second chance at life, let alone a family.”

 

Bucky stayed silent.

 

Rebecca rewound the TV and paused it so the screen showed the picture of him with Sansa on his shoulders and holding Jenny's hand. “Take a good look at that picture and tell me you don't see a family. I see two people who even if they haven't realized it yet, love each other. And I see a little girl enjoying time with her parents.”

 

“Becca,” he started.

 

“No,” she said cutting him off. “No, you will not psych yourself out of this James Buchanan Barnes. So help me God, I will beat your ass if you fuck this up. That girl loves you, it's written all over her beautiful face whenever she looks your way. The biggest fuck you that you can give to Hydra is go on with your life and be happy.”

 

He nodded, his expression pensive, his mind all over the place.

 

\--

 

Steve resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the brief discussion he and Bucky had later that night regarding Jenny. The two of them had been dancing around each for a while now. Bets were flying about when and where they'd finally give into their feelings.

 

“Ya know she actually sleeps through the night when you're there. And you haven't had a nightmare since she showed up.”

 

Bucky sipped his coffee. Coincidentally, he now took it exactly the same way Jenny did: ¾ coffee then the remaining ¼ with Cinnabon creamer. She'd discovered his sweet tooth early on. “I know Punk. I know.”

 

“So why are you acting like you're doing something wrong?”

 

He was too tired and his mind in too many places to do the waxing philosophical right now. “Because she's still pretty fucking vulnerable right now and I don't ever want her to think I'm taking advantage. I can't lose her Punk. I cant lose her,” he rasped as he stormed from the room.

 

Neither had realized that Jenny had been on the balcony and heard every word.

 

“Ya know, I'd never think that about him,” Jenny said as she flopped down at the kitchen table. “He really doesn't believe that he's worthy, does he?”

 

“Fraid not Doll. 'S the one thing he's still not sure of. He feels like he has things to make up for and doesn't deserve that much good in his life.”

 

Jenny smiled softly at the endearment she'd heard Jaime use for her so many times. “That's bullshit and we know it. I'll get him to believe it even it kills me.”

 

“He's not gonna make it easy.”

 

“Neither am I. I'm a Lewis and a Stark, stubborn and determined are kinda my thing. Our back up tactic is harass until ya give in.”

 

He grinned with a wink. Steve found that since he first met Jenny, he liked her a lot. She was an incredibly resilient young woman who loved those around her fiercely. He'd already become attached to her as if she was a little sister. “You love him don't you?”

 

She smiled softly and made a pleased humming noise. “How could I not Steve? He's incredible. So what he's got a dark past. I don't give a shit. None of that matters. All that counts is the here and now. It wasn't his fault. Hydra used him as a weapon. If he'd been in control, he would've never done any of those things. You know and I both know that.”

 

Steve pulled her up into a hug and kissed her forehead. “I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am that he has you.”

 

“Believe me, it cuts both ways.”

 

–

 

“Shhhh Jaime,” Jenny admonished as she and Sansa were glued raptly to the TV.

 

Clint jumped over the back of the couch handing Jenny a bottle of water and a small bowl of popcorn. She cuddled into Bucky's arm with a whispered thanks to the archer.

 

“I don't get it,” Steve said as he threw his arm around Darcy.

 

“Baby it's Shark Week. For one week a year, the Discovery Channel shows all things shark.”

 

Tony and Pepper walked into the living room “Oh shit, Shark Week's on isn't it?”

 

Jenny, Darcy, Clint and Sansa nodded wordlessly.

 

“Awesome,” he said as he plopped down on the couch pulling Pepper next to him.

 

“Is this one of the Megalodon mockumentaries?”

 

“Yep.”

 

“Sweet,” Jane said as she and Thor joined the group. Bruce and Erik came traipsing in not too far behind.

 

“Mockumentary?”

 

“There's fact based information in here but most of the events are dramatized. Megalodon was a real shark that existed millions of years ago during the Cenozoic Era. However, there have been rumors for decades that a ridiculously huge shark has been sighted and counted as responsible for numerous attacks on boats off the coast of South Africa and Australia. They call it Submarine. Think about it, we've only explored roughly 5% of the Earth's oceans and they cover 71% of the planet. Is a giant shark really that hard to imagine?”

 

“It could be a Lazarus taxon animal,” Sansa chimed in reaching for some popcorn. “That means it disappeared from the fossil record only to reappear later on. Like the biblical story of Lazarus rising from the dead. The Pygmy Right Whale is one of the most famous examples. Scientists declared it extinct as of two million years ago and yet one washed ashore in 2012 in New Zealand.”

 

Bucky and Steve both shot the little girl looks of wonder and confusion with raised eyebrows.

 

“Dude, you'd so give Spock a run for his money,” Sansa declared with a grin and an eyebrow raise of her own.

 

Then they frowned at each other.

 

To which Sansa slapped her hand to her forehead. “Oh please tell me you get the reference. I'm five and even I get it. Mommy, Aunt Darcy, this is completely unacceptable.”

 

Both women chuckled in response.

 

“I've been trying to fill in the pop culture gaps they have since I got here Baby Girl,” Darcy said with a laugh.

 

“That's all well and good but Star Trek? C'mon now. It's been an American institution for almost sixty years! They have no clue of the insane awesomeness they're missing. What an injustice! It hurts me here,” she said dramatically with her hand over her heart.

 

Everyone cracked up at the little girl's declaration. Her sense of humor was very much a mix of Darcy, Jenny and Tony. Add in way above average intelligence and it was interesting to watch.

 

Bucky laughed. “Guess you'll have to school us then Princess.”

 

She nodded emphatically as she climbed into his lap. “We'll start with the last two Star Trek movies. They were the best. There's even a guy that looks like Uncle Thor.”

 

Jenny and Darcy both stuck their fists out for Sansa to bump. “I'm so proud yet so terrified,” Jenny remarked as she feigned wiping away tears with a smirk.

 

“Be afraid Mother,” Sansa shot back with a faux accent. “Be very afraid.”

 

“My kid is all kinds of awesome.”

 

“Yes she is,” Bucky said as he kissed her forehead. “Just like her mother.”

 

–

 

“What ya makin?” Bucky asked as he strolled into the kitchen. It smelt like heaven which was what had dragged him from his room in the first place. He wrapped his bionic arm around her hip and dropped a gentle kiss on her neck which was bared since her hair was in a high ponytail.

 

She smiled back at him affectionately over her shoulder. “Shepherd's Pie and Soda Bread are in the oven. I'm working on dessert now.”

 

“Stevie's gonna love it,” he whispered in her ear, knowing full well what she was up to.

 

He'd overhead the girls' conversation and Jenny's discussion with Rebecca earlier that morning. As if his heart wasn't full with affection for her already, it swelled even more. The sweet smile on her face when she told Darcy that she would make it to help his best friend recall some of his fondest memories would forever be ingrained in his memory.

 

Tony was right (but Bucky'd never tell him that). Jenny was insanely selfless. And she came by it honestly. It was just who she was. Rebecca was right too (again, he wasn't about to tell his sister that). How could he not fall in love with her? Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he, James Buchanan Barnes aka Bucky aka the Winter Soldier aka Jaime, was falling in love with Jennifer Stark and couldn't stop it if he tried. Not that he wanted to. Jenn was the balm to his wounded soul.

 

And he couldn't forget his little Sansa. God did he love that little girl more than he ever thought possible. She was brilliant like her mother and cousins and had no fear of him. It was a common occurrence for her to climb up onto him and curl up for a nap. He loved it. The nights where she wanted him to read a book with her and tuck her in for bed were the best. The first time she threw her little arms around his neck and whispered _I love you_ in his ear brought tears to his eyes.

 

The pair had ingrained themselves into his heart and their rag tag family seamlessly. So much so, that he couldn't remember life before them anymore. Not that he or any of them would want to. Jenny and Sansa, like Darcy, loved and cared for all of them effortlessly and without question. They were the missing pieces the Avengers never knew they needed.

 

Steve's eyes nearly crossed as he trailed in and heard the mention of one of his favorite dishes. He hadn't had it since his mother died.

 

Darcy watched as her fiance closed his eyes with a fond smile on his face, letting the familiar smell wash over him. She yanked out her phone and shot a quick text to Jenny. _Thank you. You have no clue how happy this makes him._

 

She'd told him that Jenny loved to make Irish meals and treats. She'd spent a lot of time in their childhood with their Grandma Lewis who had come to the US from Ireland when she was a teenager. So she learned a lot of the traditional recipes first hand. Darcy knew some of them but cooking wasn't a passion for her the way it was for Jenny.

 

What Steve didn't know was that Darcy had told her about his mother which made Jenny decide to make it for him specifically.

 

Jenny responded with A _nytime D. That's what family's for. We take care of each other._

 

“And that requires all three ovens?” Bruce asked as he sipped his tea. His adoration for her had grown exponentially today as he'd watched her navigate the kitchen like it was a dance. A girl with the whole world literally at her fingertips and something as simple as cooking for others made her happy. In spite of being a Lewis and a Stark, she had an unassuming way about her that reeled them all in. Her and Sansa had such an accepting and welcoming nature that one couldn't help but adoring them.

 

Jenny grinned happily. The kitchen was massive and well stocked. It was paradise to her. She was kinda glad that everyone (except Darcy) missed her giddily bouncing around when she'd first moved in. It was more tricked out than her kitchen at her parents' house. Funny, while she lived with the Avengers, all it took was an industrial size kitchen with top of the line appliances and cookware to make her go all fan girl. She loved, loved, loved to cook. And Darcy knew it.

 

“Well Steve, Thor and Jaime will eat a whole pan on their own. They are growing boys after all. My appetite has increased quite a bit since my stay at Hotel Hydra. Sansa's always eaten like it's going to be her last meal. I've seen Darcy, Mama and Tony demolish my grandma's Shepherd's Pie in the past. Jane likes it. Pepper likes it. I have no doubt you'll like it. Natasha and Clint are due back tonight and I doubt MREs have really filled them up the last few weeks so they'll be hungry. So yes four trays worth is good. They're in the first oven. The soda bread is in the second oven. Dessert will be going in the third.”

 

Steve's ears perked up as he listened from his spot on the couch with Darcy cuddled up to him. “And what ya makin' for dessert Doll?”

 

She smiled widely in return and winked at her cousin to be. “Barmbrack is wrapped up on the counter and there's cheesecake in the fridge. I'm also making my spin on my favorite dessert ever.”

 

It was Bucky who spoke this time. “And what's that?”

 

Jenny twirled towards him and tapped his nose with one of her perfectly manicured “claws” (as he liked to call them). “There's a restaurant chain called TGI Friday's that makes a dessert called a brownie obsession. I played around the with the copycat recipes I found online and made my own. It's deliciously sinful.”

 

When she uttered the words _deliciously sinful_ , Bucky's eyes crossed because he imagined her saying them under completely different circumstances. “Can't wait to try it Doll,” he rasped, shifting to adjust his pants.

 

Steve held back his grin at the expression on his best friend's face. He knew full well that even when he tried to deny it, Bucky was far gone on Jenny. And Darcy knew it too. She'd even made a remark about how cool would it be that one day he and Bucky would end up being related. Of course she ruined it when she also pointed out that meant he'd be loosely related to Tony Stark.

 

_Insert LOL here...._

 

–

 

Steve couldn't stop the bubble of laughter that spilled from his lips as he looked his best friend over. The nails of his right hand were bright pink. The toenails on his left foot were bright yellow, and those on his right were purple. The paint was smudged in a few spots indicating that they'd been painted by Sansa's tiny hands.

 

There wasn't nail polish anywhere so he guessed that Bucky cleaned up whatever mess had been made.

 

Sansa's nails on both hands were black with tiny little red stars on them. The nails on her left foot were striped with red, white and blue. Her right were Iron Man red and gold. The polish was perfect – a sure sign that Bucky had done it for her.

 

 _Guess she wanted to show love to her favorite Avengers...._ Jenny thought as she bit her fist to contain her giggles. Bucky looked ridiculous but it was ridiculously adorable. It was endearing the way he played with her daughter. Seeing him like this, with Sansa passed out on his chest did funny (but certainly not unwelcome) things to her.

 

Apparently Sansa had a great time with him while they were gone.

 

Bucky's hair was the best. Sansa had put china bumps all over his head and then had gotten him with her glitter hair mascara that Thor and Jane had bought her. His hair was covered in glittery (and neon) blue, pink, purple, green, yellow and orange. Bucky had put her hair in pig tails and braided them. The braids also had streaks of color all over them. They were both wearing tank tops that said _#AvengeLikeaBoss..._ and beneath that was a red star much like the one on Bucky's arm. He was wearing dark jeans, his bare feet crossed and resting on the coffee table. Sansa was wearing leggings that had all the Avengers symbols on them. She was passed out on his chest her head tucked into his neck. Bucky's bionic hand held her to him gently. On the table was his Stark phone opened up to the game Heads Up – one of Sansa's favorites.

 

Jenny bit back the awwww that was on the tip of her tongue at the picture the pair made.

 

Sansa had broken out the letter magnets Tony and Pepper bought her. Bucky's bionic arm said 'Property of Jennifer and Sansa Stark'. Then below that it said '#justsaying. Steve guessed that meant Sansa really had paid attention when Jarvis was teaching Thor and Bucky about Twitter the previous week.

 

Jenny and Darcy quickly snapped pictures and uploaded them to social media.

 

Jenny's post on Instagram was tagged _#CanYouSayAwww #LikeaBoss #ApparentlySansaandIownaCommando #IThinkIllKeepHim._

 

Darcy's on Twitter was tagged _#RainbowSoldier #JustSaying #HairandNailsLikeaBoss_

 

\--

 

“We're going shopping,” Jenny said as she flopped down between Bucky and Steve.

 

“Doll, it's 11 o'clock at night. Target is closed,” Steve said patting her leg.

 

“Not when you're a Stark,” she responded with a smirk as she tapped his nose. “And not when you're best friends with the CEO's son and mother to his grandchild. Not to mention that said CEO is also my godfather,” declared with a dramatic bat of her eyes.

 

Which caused Darcy, Steve and Bucky's eyes to roll.

 

As if on cue, Joey came traipsing in from behind them. He'd been granted full access to the Tower a while back. After some discussion, the Avengers offered both he and Damien positions with Stark Industries. Joey was the head of the Avengers personal security and Damien was Bucky's second. They still ran their private security firm as well. It worked out great for everyone. Joey was very happy that he no longer had to commute to Long Island from Manhattan. Their place was only four blocks from the Tower and three blocks from Peggy Carter's. His father's penthouse was not far either.

 

Joey seemed to rest a bit easier these days now that Jenny and Sansa were living in the Tower. Knowing that they were always protected and in the company of people who truly cared about them made him feel much better.

 

She stopped for a second and turned back to Joey who was hugging Darcy and shaking hands with the boys in greeting. “Where are that gorgeous husband of yours and ridiculously adorable nieces of mine?”

 

“Jennika and Irisa are visiting Dami's parents in Jersey. He's at home with Elena. She's got a double ear infection and an upper respiratory infection. They put her on antibiotics for 10 days. Baby girl's miserable.”

 

“Ouch, my poor baby girl,” she frowned. “I'll buy her something while we're out.”

 

Joey frowned at her. “Jenny.”

 

“What?” she asked innocently. “I promise I won't go overboard.”

 

“Yeah right,” he scoffed. “That's why the last time she was sick, she got the entire new Monster High line.”

 

“Says the one who bought Sansa the entire Spring Unsprung line from Ever After High the last time she had a cold. Besides, she's my goddaughter, it's my prerogative.”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” he said mimicking her and sticking his tongue out. “C'mon, Dad agreed to keep the store open until 2.”

 

“How is Dad?”

 

“He's good. Sends his love. Him and step-mommy number two are on the outs these days. He's in Minneapolis and she's in Paris. I think she's gonna end up leaving Braeden and Nate with him. She doesn't seem to wanna really be a mother. It's been two months since they've seen her.”

 

“Just as well. Dad will do right by them. He kicks major ass.”

 

“Yeah he does. They'll be back in town in a couple of weeks. Dad said we'll all do dinner then. And by all I mean _everyone._ That includes you Darce.”

 

“Sure. I'm down. We'll be there. Maybe we'll even do it here at the Tower. I'm sure Tony and Pepper would like that too.”

 

“That's why you seem so familiar,” Steve declared finally putting it all together. Which he couldn't really be blamed for because there was no resemblance between the brothers. “You're Brock Rumlow's brother.”

 

Joey grinned. “Fraid so. Brock and I were from Dad's first marriage.”

 

“As is the leader of SHIELD STRIKE team Alpha?” Bucky asked in confusion. He didn't recall ever meeting the man, but had heard some stories from Natasha, Clint and Steve from their time with SHIELD.

 

Joey nodded, sadness in his eyes. “Yeah, my brother's not around all that much. He's been pretty withdrawn from us since Alsander and Faolan died.” There was a bitterness to his tone.

 

Jenny put a comforting hand on Joey's arm. “He sends cards and gifts for Sansa on all the holidays. I get cards on my birthdays and the occasional text. So at least it counts for something. Ya have to give him that much Joe. He took Al and Fao's deaths really really hard. Shit, he was the one who kept your step-mother from trying to fight me for custody of Sansa. I'm not saying it's right but I get how hard it is to lose a sibling too.”

 

Joey opened his mouth to respond but was stopped by Jenny's finger on his lips “I'm not saying you didn't take it hard either. But everyone deals with grief in different ways. Dad dying hit him pretty badly too. Don't forget that he was the one who brought him into SHIELD. Dad was even closer to Brock than he was to Faolan. And Brock was closer to Dad than he is to Pop.”

 

“I know,” he said with a sigh. “I just want everyone to get along. I'm tired of looking at that empty chair. He's one of us too.”

 

“He'll come around eventually Joe. He just needs the right motivation,” she said knowingly.

 

“What do you know?”

 

“Nothing definitive yet,” she responded cryptically. “But he's coming to a crossroads where he'll be faced with some difficult choices. He'll do the right thing and it'll make all the difference.”

 

“Okay enough with the heavy shit kids,” Darcy said as they got in the truck. “I have a black Stark Industries card and it's burning a hole in my pocket.”

 

Jenny laughed hysterically. “Darce, I doubt Tony will even notice. Besides, you also have a black Lewis Manufacturing card too.”

 

Darcy giggled. “I know, that's the best part about it.”

 

–

 

While the group knew Jenny wasn't a flashy Stark like her cousin and uncle, they didn't realize just how regular she was. Until they got to Target.

 

“Wait a minute,” Clint said as he joined their merry band of nonsense. He had gotten in the second SUV with Darcy and Steve. A third SUV containing some of Joey's men followed them to the store. “You're an heiress worth god knows what and yet you do your own shopping?”

 

“Yep.”

 

“And you shop at Target?!?!”

 

“Yeah, so? I happen to like Target very much. Besides that, you make it sound like I'm the only wealthy one in the room. Last I checked you, Steve and Jaime have some impressive net worth. And I know Darce has more than a decent amount in the bank too.”

 

“I think because you're a Stark, people tend to expect outrageous excess,” Steve said as if trying to defend Clint's outburst.

 

“Yeah well, they won't find it here. I prefer the peace and quiet thank you.”

 

Clint was still stuck on the whole Target thing. “I realize that Joey's father is the CEO but really?”

 

“Why are you so surprised Clint? It's not about the money I have or the size of my trust fund, so what is it that really confuses you?”

 

“It just seems very un-Starklike.”

 

“Yeah well I'm kinda un-Starklike in a lotta ways, I woulda thought you'd figured that out by now. Tony and I were very raised differently. I never wanted for anything but I didn't exactly have everything handed to me on a silver platter either. Don't get me wrong Uncle Howard and Aunt Maria loved Tony very much, but they tended to overcompensate for their lack of affection and time with him with lavish gifts and insane vacations. Pepper was really the first person in his life to give him limits. He has a huge heart and when he loves, he does it with fierceness. But for a long time, he was very lost. He may not always say it but all of you guys mean a lot to him.”

 

Not wanting to engage the mushiness, Clint kept on track. “And where do you buy your clothes at?”

 

Jenny rolled her eyes and made a face at Darcy, Steve and Bucky as if to say _can you believe him?_ “Mostly Old Navy.”

 

“Old Navy?”

 

“I can dress up if the occasion calls for it but that's not my preference. I own the entire Old Navy active-wear line in every color available. I don't do the designer labels like Pepper, or the leather pants like Tasha. Sometimes I'll do the Boho Chic like Darcy. I love accessories as much as the next girl. But my accessories tend to be colored scarves, sunglasses, and costume jewelry. I won't deny that I probably have a makeup case that would make a professional beautician jealous but that's where I draw the line. And puleeze, I am and probably singlehandedly keeping the Volatile sneaker brand in business. The only real and true excess is probably the fact that I think I have every pair of Uggs in every color imaginable.”

 

“Those platform sneaker things you like, I can understand. You are pretty short.”

 

She pushed him playfully. “Screw you I'm not short, I'm fun sized.”

 

He pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead. “If that's what helps you sleep at night.”

 

–

 

While Bucky still had his bedroom, he'd been sleeping in Jenny's more and more as time went on. At first, it had simply been because of her nightmares. But then it became force of habit. The pair slept better in each other's arms. It again went back to the fact that they were dancing around what they really were. Neither was quite ready yet, but they both knew it was inevitable.

 

So when they got home from Target, Bucky wordlessly followed Jenny into her room.

 

When they laid in bed later on that night (or morning depending on how you looked at it), Bucky found himself full of questions. But he wanted to let Jenny sleep. So he laid there with his metal arm wrapped around her as she curled into him contentedly. She'd made him lay this way many times until he finally understood that his bionic arm didn't bother or scare her in the least.

 

“Baby, if you have questions ask them,” she mumbled as she turned to face him. His hand drifted to her hip as she laid a kiss on his chest.

 

“You guys are close. I mean I've seen it but I guess I just never really thought much about it.”

 

She nodded. “Our families have always been close. Dad was Brock's godfather. Al, Joe, and Brock's dad, Adan is my godfather. Calyx Rumlow, their uncle was my brother Faolan's godfather. I grew up with Alsander as my partner in crime with Darcy a close second, but Faolan, Tony, Brock and Joey were always constants in our lives. We got picked on a lot in the neighborhood for being the quote unquote rich kids. Me more so because of my health and size. In spite of my mother trying to lock me away, the guys taught us how to defend ourselves, how to fight, how to shoot, and all kinds of other cool stuff. I looked up to all of them. Brock and Joey have always been my other older brothers.”

 

“But not Alsander?”

 

“With him it was different. He was my best friend. We were each other's first. It figures that the first time I have sex, I got pregnant. But I knew I wasn't alone. Al could've run for the hills but he didn't. He knelt down in front of me, grabbed my hand and said 'well we never do anything in halves, do we?' I wish I could tell you it was some epic love story but it wasn't. It could've been if given the time. But the Gods had other plans.

 

I was four months pregnant with Sansa when he and my parents were killed. We had been on our way home from dinner. Mom and Dad were insistent that if we were planning on having Sansa, that we needed to have plans in place. My dad and Adan Rumlow were surprisingly supportive. Mama was in, there was never a question. She kept telling me she was so happy to be a grandmother. My mother, wasn't always a heinous bitch. She was slowly, and by slowly I mean glacially, getting there but Alsander's stepmom, she was a bitch. Kept saying how we were ruining our lives and nothing good was gonna come of it. She wanted nothing to do with a grandchild let alone her own son. Al couldn't take it anymore so he'd moved in with us. We agreed that we were gonna be parents to our baby first and foremost. If something romantic came from that, then great. If not, at least our baby would have two parents who loved her and she'd know it.

 

It was pouring that night. Mom and Dad were actually joking around in the front seat while I was dozing off on Al's shoulder. I remember thinking it was one of the best nights ever. Everyone was getting along. All I remember was Mom screaming and Al throwing himself on me when the lights were coming straight at us. I woke up in the hospital the next night with Mama, Adan, Tony, Darcy and Uncle Jason around me. One look at their faces and I just knew,” she said as tears streamed down her face.

 

“Shhhh,” he said as he kissed her tears away.

 

“It felt like my world was ripped out from under me. My parents and my best friend were gone because the town drunk needed another 24 pack. Thankfully the bastard was killed on impact. We buried the three of them two days later. I stood there quiet as a mouse holding Tony and Faolan's hands in a death grip.”

 

“You can stop if you want Jenn.”

 

“No. We said no secrets between us Jaime. That means good and bad.”

 

He nodded, kissing her forehead again. “Faolan left the following week. Brock left two weeks after that. He received the offer for STRIKE Team Alpha. I couldn't blame him. Losing Al and my father affected him a lot. We spoke once a week on Skype but that slowly faded. I missed him a lot. I missed him even more when Faolan was declared KIA after that op in Afghanistan went wrong. Joey was all I had left. Brock came home long enough to see Sansa and I for a couple days after she was born. But then he was gone again claiming he was recalled for some op. Mama and I moved into the guest house at Joey and Dami's for a while because I just couldn't bear to be in that house. It took more than a year before I was strong enough to stand on my own two feet again. By Sansa's second birthday, we had moved back into my parents' house. With Mama, Joey, Damien and Adan's help, I packed up thier stuff and moved it to storage. Holidays and birthdays are a big thing with the Rumlow/Stark clan. Everyone, including Darcy, Tony and Pepper but except Brock, shows up. He hasn't been home in years. It kills Adan every time. Joey and I have gotten used to it.”

 

“You had said something about Brock getting his stepmother off your back?”

 

“Yeah, Catherine had me served with custody paperwork three days after Sansa was born. I don't know what Brock said to her but she dropped the issue really quick and hasn't bothered anyone since. For Adan that was the straw that broke the camel's back. He divorced her not long after that. He said that there was no way he could be married to someone who could barely stand her own child and then would try to take her grandchild from her mother.”

 

“That's rough.”

 

“Yeah, but we're family. We stick together.”

 

–

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love :)


	10. Laughter is the Best Medicine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sansa shows the world that the Avengers have a sense of humor....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is pure crack fluff and I make no apologies for it :)

Little Sansa Stark-Rumlow gained her own following (10 million strong) on Twitter and Instagram after a series of videos that Darcy and Jenny posted.

 

Pepper was a bit bummed that she wasn't home when they were filmed. But Sansa promised they'd do a few together as soon as she was stateside again.

 

The first was a video titled 'I Make This Look Good' that Jenny uploaded to her newly minted YouTube channel.

 

Sansa approached Captain America (in the Stars and Stripes) in her own little version of his uniform (complete with the Shield strapped to her back of course). She looked him up and down, then decreed “Nah, I do it better.”

 

“Is that so?” he asked with an arched eyebrow.

 

“Oh heck yeah,” she said as she motioned to herself from head to toe. “I make this look good.” She rolled her eyes at him as she strolled (strutted actually) away. Then she ran back to him. “I gotta say it at least once.”

 

“Say what?” he queried. She puffed up her chest, put her hands on her hips. Her expression grew serious as she yelled “Avengers Assemble.”

 

Captain America chuckled.

 

She flashed him a grin. “This super hero stuff ain't so tough.”

 

“Oh good,” he said with a smirk, “I can retire then.”

 

She paled at the declaration. “Woah. Woah. Woah,” she said as she grabbed his arm. “Let's not be hasty. I need some training first.”

 

“Alright kid,” he said as they started walking down the hallway (and away from the camera).

 

“Guess we'll start with the _Captain America is not amused_ face.”

 

“Oh, so we're starting with the heavy stuff first huh?”

 

-

 

Then there was the Vine clip of Sansa sitting on Hulk's shoulder on the roof of the Avengers Tower.

 

She looked out on the Manhattan skyline. “Dude this view is epic,” she declared as she nodded her head.

 

The Hulk looked up at her, flashing a grin of his own as he responded “ **Sansa silly**.”

 

She planted a big wet kiss on his cheek as she ruffled his hair. “Awww, love you too Big Guy.”

 

Hulk blushed. No really. Like legit blushed. It was priceless.

 

-

 

A few days later 'The Teacher Isn't Amused', a video of Sansa dancing to 'Mr Roboto' garnered four million likes in less than 24 hours.

 

Behind her were the Winter Soldier, Iron Man, War Machine and three prototypes of the Iron Man suits all dancing to a choreographed routine while Dum-E, You, and Butterfingers whirled around in the background.

 

Toward the end of the song, she stopped, rolled her eyes and yelled “No. No. No. You missed a step.”

 

Then she turned back toward the camera shaking her head and sighing. “Superheroes these days. They can save the world, but they can't follow simple directions.” It legitimately broke the internet.

 

-

 

'So I Gotta Work on my Aim' showed Sansa standing beside Hawkeye with a miniature bow and a pink quiver slung over her shoulder.

 

She was wearing a uniform like his except hers had dark pink accents. He watched, coaching her as she fired off a few arrows.

 

After two minutes, a shout of “Ow! C'mon!” was heard off screen. Falcon limped up to them with an arrow sticking out of the back of his thigh.

 

Sansa looked at Hawkeye and they both shrugged.

 

“My bad,” she said with an apologetic grin.

 

“In her defense, you were supposed to be in the air,” Hawkeye added, his expression matching the little girl's.

 

Falcon limped away declaring “I get no love around here.”

 

Sansa shrugged sheepishly. “So, when do I get to play with the grappling arrows? Those look like fun.”

 

“Um, I don't think we're there just yet kiddo.”

 

-

 

The next was downright silly. It was called 'How Superheroes Play Cards'.

 

Sansa dressed just like the Black Widow sat across from the woman herself (who was in her uniform) at one of those bright child size Ikea tables.

 

They each had a bunch of cards in their hands with the remainder of the deck in between them.

 

“Your turn,” Sansa told her.

 

Widow looked thoughtfully at her cards for a second before asking “do you have any Thors?”

 

Sansa peeked at her cards. “Nope, go fish.”

 

The best part: _'Black Widow'_ was playing softly in the background. Both Sansa and Natasha were humming/singing it under their breath.

 

Iggy Azalea shared the link on her Twitter feed while declaring Sansa _'the cutest little girl ever'._

 

-

 

The video titled 'Even Billionaires Get Bored' seemed to be a popular one.

 

Jane was calling out numbers and stars as Darcy and Sansa checked them off.

 

Tony and Bruce were chucking tiny balls of paper at the trio who for the better part of five minutes, were doing their best to ignore their antics.

 

Sansa, who had a pencil above her ear, one stuck in her bun and one in her hand, chewed her Pop Tart thoughtfully as Jane and Darcy did the same.

 

When she got nailed in the forehead with a paper wad, she slammed her little hands down on the work table. “Enough,” she declared in an irritated tone. “How many times do I have to tell you we're Sciencing here? This is potentially groundbreaking work and you're interrupting.”

 

The pair did their best to look chagrined. “But we're bored,” Tony lamented with a sigh.

 

“Dude,” Sansa said as she shook her head at them, “don't you have something to avenge or engineer? Don't make me sic Aunt Pepper or Mommy on you.”

 

The pair looked at each other before Bruce threw his hands up. “I'm out pal. I draw the line at your wife and cousin. Even the Big Guy is afraid of them.”

 

Tony rolled his eyes, sighed a big dramatic sigh and stomped out of the lab.

 

As Bruce followed him, he could be heard saying “what? It's healthy fear I swear.”

 

-

 

And of course there had to be a video of the Stark girls together, titled 'The Boss has a Good Interrogation Technique'.

 

Sansa sat in her mother's office at a smaller version of her desk complete with nameplate – _Sansa Stark-Rumlow Future Ruler of All Things Stark.....in Training_ ) which was placed right beside Jenny's.

 

Bucky walked in (dressed in a suit as was customary for work) as the pair were busily typing away at their matching laptops. He sat down in a chair in front of Jenny's desk and said nothing while they continued to type. After a few minutes, he cleared his throat to gain the pair's attention.

 

“Mommy, Boss Man's here,” Sansa declared softly as she leaned over toward her mother.

 

Jenny's eyebrow shot up as she glanced at him over her computer. “So he is.”

 

“Do the two of ya have anything to say for yourselves?” He asked as he crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes on them.

 

Jenny shook her head. “Nah, I'm good. Sansa?”

 

The little girl shook hers as well. “No, not much on my mind right now except these security reports,” she said as she continued to type away. “Yep, security reports are crazy important. Boss tends to get piqued when work isn't turned in on time.”

 

He leveled his gaze on Sansa who little by little fidgeted more and more under the scrutiny. Finally she stopped typing and exclaimed, “alright, I give. I give.”

 

Bucky leaned forward. “Whaddya know?”

 

Jenny closed her laptop and shot Sansa a warning look. “Sasa.”

 

Sansa covered her face in her hands. “I can't do it Mommy. It's eating away at me.”

 

“Tell me and I promise to go easy on ya Baby Girl,” Bucky said as he uncrossed his arms and sat ramrod straight.

 

“It was us.”

 

He nodded, his expression somewhat irritated. “Where are they?”

 

“Gone,” she said as she hung her head in shame. “I ate the last of em this morning.”

 

“Oh stuff it,” Jenny said as she stood from her desk. “C'mon,” she grabbed Bucky's hand. “I'll buy ya more gummy worms ya big baby. I love the fact that your candy disappears and you're up in arms. But the fact that we were able to get into your office with very little effort doesn't faze you in the least.”

 

He trailed behind her with an incredulous look on his face.

 

As they exited the office, Sansa turned to the camera. “Whew that was close. How do ya think he's gonna react when he realizes that Mommy switched his coffee out for decaf?” She frowned and twitched her lips to the right. “I'm thinking I might need to touch up my resume. This Stark Industries thing is some seriously dramatic business.”

 

–

 

The hilarity continued when a video of the group lip syncing to ' _Uptown_ Funk' was uploaded by Pepper. It had been recorded over the course of two days throughout the Avengers Tower. The entire group (Avengers, scientists and support staff alike) was included. Each and every one of them donned fedoras for the video. Within hours it was shared hundreds of thousands of times. By the next day, it had upwards of ten million likes.

 

Bruno Mars called Tony personally to invite them to his next show. Jenny and Sansa had a major fangirl freakout much to Bucky and Tony's chagrin. It was balanced out by the fanboy moment Bruno had himself at meeting the Avengers.

 

The invitation was then extended to the team to participate in _Lip Sync Battle_. They agreed but only on the condition that it be done for charity. Phone lines were set up encouraging the public to call in with donations. It turned into a three hour episode that ended up raising $5,000,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project, Habitat for Humanity and the Stark Foundation.

 

Comedy gold was the best way to describe it. The American public got to see the Avengers like never before. They enjoyed showing their fans and supporters that they all had a great sense of humor.

 

Jenny, Pepper and Darcy gave an epic performance of _'Independent Woman Part 1'_.

 

The world LOL'd when Tony and Bruce did _'RESPECT'_.

 

Bucky, Clint and Steve pulled off one of the funniest performances of _'Material Girl_ ' that anyone had ever seen. Yes they dressed up for it (suits – glittery suits but no dresses though – sorry girls) and did a choreographed dance.

 

Jane and Thor were hysterical with _'Paradise by the Dashboard Light'._

 

Sansa, Jenny, Darcy and Natasha did Fifth Harmony's _'Sledgehammer'_ together while holding knockoff versions of Mjolnir. The boys laughed so hard, they fell off their stools.

 

Sam and Clint cracked everyone up with _'I Believe I Can Fly'_.

 

Erik, Jane, Tony, and Bruce donned crazy wigs and neon lab coats for a performance of _'She Blinded Me with Science'._

 

The girls killed it with a medley of _'We are Family', 'It's Raining Men_ ' and _'Spice Up Your Life'_. The guys retaliated with _'American Woman', 'Wanted Dead or Alive'_ and ' _Livin on a Prayer_ '.

 

Jenny and Bucky had fun with _'My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark_ '.

 

Darcy somehow talked Steve into doing _'Vogue_ ' with her. Funny as hell watching Captain America Vogue. Priceless.

 

Sansa stole the show with _'Happy_ '. By the time she was done, she had Minions and Pharell with her on stage. America let out a collective awww at the little imp's performance.

 

Tony and Pepper let loose (well looser LOL) with _'SexyBack_ '.

 

Jenny ended up bringing Katy Perry on stage when she did _'Roar'._

 

Darcy, Jenny, Bucky and Steve did _'Good Girls Go Bad'._

 

Tony and Jenny rocked out to _'We Built This City_ ' complete with air guitar. They followed it up with _'Back in Black'._

 

Natasha and Clint were hysterical when they did _'We Didn't Start the Fire_ ' together.

 

Darcy's inbox was flooded with interview and television appearance requests before the show was even over.

 

Take that _Entertainment Tonight._

 

–

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love :)


	11. The Adventures of Steve &  Darcy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Steve and Darcy met....
> 
> How Steve and Darcy tied the knot....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya might need some tissues my lovelies....
> 
> #justsayin
> 
> The song used in the second half of the chapter is "Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts.

2013

 

_Steve had been in Avengers Tower for a week when his world was turned completely upside down....again. Except for this time, it was for the better._

 

“ _I feel like you need a hug,” came a distinctly feminine voice from behind him. “Can I hug you?”_

 

_It took a lot of restraint to keep his jaw from dropping at the sight that he was greeted with when he turned. And boy was she a sight. His eyes traveled her frame from her head to her toes. Every delicious inch._

 

_Gorgeous porcelain skin, bright blue eyes and long flowing chestnut hair (that he really really wanted to run his fingers through). She wore very little in the way of makeup save for smoky eye shadow that only seemed enhance the shade of her eyes and red lipstick. Her curves were reminiscent of the pinups from his time._

 

_She was wearing a black knee length dress that reminded him of the fashions the girls wore in the 40's. There were slits up both sides which were covered in gauzy material. It was very demure for this day and age but still incredibly alluring. Her shoulders and neck were covered. But there was a diamond shaped cutout starting at the bottom of her neck down towards her chest that teased of her generous assets. She wore dark seamed stockings (he thought women didn't do that anymore). On her feet were red and black open toe platform heels that had tiny skulls on them with bows. They added a good four five inches to her height. He guessed without them she'd be no more than 5'3 to his 6'2._

 

_The appreciation went both ways. The man in front of her had a deliciously gorgeous body. He wasn't dressed in anything special but he made it look a-maz-ing. He was wearing a white t-shirt and dark wash jeans. While, he wasn't as stacked as Thor but he was friggin beautiful none the less. That back, ass and shoulders were works of art. She felt the need to say a prayer or two (or maybe a thousand) to thank every deity above (including some of the ones that her cousins believed in). Way hotter out of uniform than in it. That was for sure. God Bless America indeed._

 

“ _So, what put that look on your face and what can I do to help you make it go away,” she asked as she approached him._

 

“ _Not sure ya really wanna hear the answer to that Doll,” he rasped as he turned to face her._

 

_She stood in front of him with her hands on her hips. “Honey, if I didn't want the answer, I wouldn'ta asked.” Without another word, she threw her arms around him._

 

_Even though he didn't know who she was, Steve felt something about her call to him. Like a moth being drawn to a flame, he wrapped his arms around her and buried his head in her neck inhaling her scent. She smelled of peppermint and lavender. It was comforting._

 

_After the last few weeks Darcy had, she had to admit that she needed a hug as badly as he did._

 

_Something told him that he wasn't the only one benefiting from their current arrangement as her arms tightened around him and she let loose a sad sigh. He felt her tremble as what sounded like a sniffle escaped her._

 

_Pulling back a bit to look at her face, he frowned when he noticed her eyes watering. “You're far too beautiful to be so sad yourself Doll,” he said as he wiped away the tears that had fallen with his thumbs._

 

_She feigned a smile as she cupped his cheek. “Seems like we make quite the pair.”_

 

_He flashed her a genuine smile at her declaration, never letting go. “I'm Steve.”_

 

“ _Darcy,” she sighed breathlessly._

 

“ _C'mon,” he said reaching for her hand. “I know just the place we can go to talk.”_

 

_She slipped her small hand into his larger one and he squeezed it reassuringly. He led her towards the elevator and instructed Jarvis to take them to the roof._

 

_Where they ended up staying until sunset, nearly five hours later, talking about anything and everything._

 

_Unseen by the pair, a certain Russian spysassin and Fortune 500 CEO smirked at each other while clinking their glasses of wine together as they watched the whole scene unfold from the balcony._

 

“ _It's very possible that my husband will have a small conniption over what we just witnessed,” Pepper declared with a grin._

 

_Natasha smiled knowingly and winked at her partner in crime. “Tony can whine all he wants Pep. Six months down the line, he'll be begging Darcy to let him walk her down the aisle.”_

 

“ _You think so?”_

 

“ _I know so. This is the beginning of an eventful time for all of us. Especially those two.”_

 

_She wasn't wrong. When Tony asked Steve the next day about Darcy, his response threw him for a loop. He smiled brilliantly with dreamy heart cartoon eyes (Tony's words). “I'm gonna marry that girl Stark. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But my ring's gonna be on her finger and she's gonna be my wife.”_

 

–

 

_I set out on a narrow way many years ago_  
_Hoping I would find true love along the broken road_  
_But I got lost a time or two_  
_Wiped my brow and kept pushing through_

 

Here they were two and a half years later about to become one. Steve walked down the aisle and stood at the alter clenching his hands together nervously. Peggy was walked down the aisle by Damien as she shot her old friend a look that clearly told him to quit fidgeting. Yekaterina was escorted by Joey. Erik and Sam each walked down the aisle alone since there were more groomsmen than bridesmaids. Clint of course walked with his wife. Thor walked with Jane. Pepper walked with Bruce (since Tony was walking Darcy down the aisle).

 

Jenny and Bucky practically strutted down the aisle arm in arm with matching grins on their faces. Peggy and Kata rolled their eyes at the pair who seemed to care less what anyone else thought. Steve chuckled at them. When they reached the end of the aisle, Bucky bowed dramatically and kissed her hand. Jenny put her hand to her chest as if she were breathless and smiled, kissing his cheek. Unseen by the pair, guests were exchanging money left and right as bets flew back and forth as to when they'd finally cut the crap and get together.

 

Steve mouthed _'fifty on two weeks'_ to Yekaterina who nodded with a wink. Peggy tried to look reproachful. Tried being the key word.

 

Little Sansa happily skipped down the aisle dropping lilac and cream rose petals. She waved to everyone who smiled at her. When she reached the alter, she put down her basket and motioned with her finger for Steve to bend down. When he did, she threw her little arms around him. “Love you Uncle Steve. I'm so glad you're marrying Aunt Darcy. And that you guys made the wise choice of making me the Flower Girl (capitals totally warranted as per Sansa).”

 

He chuckled in the little imp's ear as he kissed her forehead. “Me too Pipsqueak. Me too.”

 

The bridesmaids were all in royal purple gowns that had cream sashes around the waist. Save for Jenny (because she was so boobilicious) and Sansa (because hello only five) the dresses were strapless. Both Stark girls wore one shoulder versions of the gown.

 

The groomsmen (except for Bucky and Clint) wore black suits with cream shirts. Bucky and Clint, like Steve were in their Army full dress uniforms.

 

Steve found himself breathless as Darcy walked down the aisle on Tony's arm. She was radiant. Absolutely radiant. Words failed him. The white dress clung to her curves perfectly. She never looked more beautiful and she was about to be all his. Tears pooled in his eyes as he flashed her a bright smile to match the one she was sending his way.

 

_I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you_  
_That every long lost dream lead me to where you are_  
_Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars_  
_Pointing me on my way into your loving arms_

 

“Ya done good Punk,” Bucky whispered as he watched his best friend and the love of his life. He winked to Jenny who stood on the other side of the alter.

 

_This much I know is true_  
_That God blessed the broken road_  
_That led me straight to you_  
_Yes it did_

 

Darcy's breathed hitched as she and Tony stepped into sight. Steve looked gorgeous in his Army uniform with Bucky at his side. Tears streamed down her face and she silently thanked Natasha and Jenny for making sure her makeup was water proof. She still couldn't believe that she was about to marry the amazing man before her. The love of her life.

 

_I think about the years I spent just passing through_  
_I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you_  
_But you just smile and take my hand_  
_You've been there you understand_  
_It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true_

 

Tony fought to keep his emotions in check as he walked his little sister to his friend. Normally he'd crack some joke about it being not too late to run away. But this was real and it was right. Darcy and Steve belonged together. Everyone could see that. He was honored to be the one to give her away in the absence of her father. Steve would cherish her for the rest of their days. Of that he had no doubt. And Darcy would give as good as she got. _One down, one to go._

 

_Every long lost dream led me to where you are_  
_And others who broke my heart they were like northern stars_  
_Pointing me on my way into your loving arms_  
_This much I know it's true_  
_That God blessed the broken road_  
_That led me straight to you_  
_Yeah_

 

Darcy took a deep breath to keep herself from full on sobbing as she got closer and closer to Steve. This was it. This was what she'd been dreaming of her whole life. If someone had told her that she'd one day have it all with a man like Steve, she would've told them to get their head checked. But here she was. About to marry the most amazing man.

 

_And now I'm rolling home_  
_Into my lover's arms_  
_This much I know is true_  
_That God blessed the broken road_  
_That led me straight to you_

 

Tony lifted her veil and kissed her cheek before placing her hand in Steve's. “Love each other,” he told them with a smile. “Love each other through thick and thin. That's all I ask.”

 

Both Darcy and Steve nodded as Darcy pulled him into a hug with the hand that wasn't already in Steve's. “Always Tone. Love you.”

 

“Love you too,” he said as he shook Steve's hand and then went to stand beside Bucky, Clint, Thor, Bruce, Erik, Sam, Joey and Damien.

 

_That God blessed the broken road_  
_Ooh, ooh_  
_That led me straight to you_

 

“Hi,” she whispered as they turned to face each other.

 

“Doll you look amazing,” he said as he wiped a tear from her cheek. The guests didn't even bother holding back their collective awwww at the sight.

 

“Darcy and Steve have decided to write their own vows,” the minister said as he smiled at the pair. “Darcy has chosen to go first.”

 

Taking a deep breath, Darcy spoke. “Steve, you've captivated me since I first laid eyes on you. I fell in love with you that first day. Something I never thought possible. But you've been teaching me since that day that there's no such thing as impossible. That we can have it all and there's nothing wrong with being happy. That things happen for a reason. There's nothing about you that I don't love. The way your eyes crinkle when you smile. The way you whole-heartedly give everything and everyone your all. Especially me. In spite of all the heartache and heartbreak you were going through, you were there for me without question when I was trying to get myself back together after my dad died and I was at my lowest. Words can't convey how much you mean to me. You put up with my attitudes, my moods, and the fact that I can babble for hours on end flawlessly. I love love love the way you take and give me back snark and sarcasm in spades. You're truly my other half. And there's no where I'd rather be than by your side. I want you to know that no matter what, I will always stand by you and be there for you through thick and thin. Steven Grant Rogers, you are and always will be the love of my life.”

 

Steve didn't even try to be subtle as he swiped away the tears on his cheeks. “Darce, I've known you were it for me since the moment I heard your voice. You were this force of nature, this breath of fresh air I never knew I needed. Amazing doesn't even begin to describe you. You love to swear you're not perfect. But you're perfect for me Doll. You love everyone with an undiscriminating fierceness that I'd never seen before. Especially me. I'll never understand how I got so lucky but I'll spend the rest of my life showing you how much you mean to me every day. You make me look forward to the future. To a life and kids surrounded by the our crazy family. Years from now, I'll tell them how their Ma turned my life upside down and completely rearranged it for the better and how I never looked back after that. For the record, it wasn't me that taught you that things happen for a reason or that there's nothing wrong with rebuilding your life and bein happy. We learned that together. I look forward to seeing what else we'll learn together. Cause like it or not Darcy Margaret Rogers, you're stuck with me for the rest of our lives.”

 

Darcy nodded as tears clouded her vision. _'I love you'_ she mouthed to him.

 

_'I love you right back Darce_ ' he mouthed in response.

 

Aside from their vows, Darcy and Steve swore that the rest of the ceremony and their reception passed in a haze (thank goodness for the wedding videos). Once they exchanged rings (they were made of the same metal as Mew Mew with a ruby, diamond and sapphire in the band – their initials and wedding date inscribed on the inside – a gift from Thor for his Shield Sister and Brother), neither paid attention to anything until the minister declared them husband and wife. Steve didn't even wait for permission to kiss his bride.

 

Peggy dabbed at her eyes sighing in relief that one of her girls was married. She looked to Jenny who was smiling at Bucky who in turn blew her a kiss and winked at her.

 

_One down. One to go._

 

–

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love :)


	12. When Bucky Met the Avengers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky got quite the reception when he arrived at Avengers Tower last year....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not gonna lie, I kinda giggled a little bit while writing this one....

**2014**

 

_As soon as Darcy texted him, Tony knew just who he had to speak to next._

 

_**You were right. And don't play dumb about what. Darce already told me.** _

 

_Jenny snickered at Tony's text. She could practically hear the sarcasm dripping from it. **Okay but you knew that when they found Steve in 2011. It was only a matter of time before Bucky turned up. He needs some space though. While he's not a danger and is back in his right mind, TRW is still overwhelming to him. Think of how lost Steve was at first. Speaking of which, can you be a little less Uncle Howie and a little more Aunt Maria for a bit?**_

 

_Unseen by his younger cousin, but seen none the less, Tony frowned as he typed a response. **I feel like there's an insult in there somewhere.**_

 

_**LOL. Not at all Tone. But Bucky would benefit from more gentleness than overwhelming Starkness.** _

 

_**Like it or not, you have some of that overwhelming Starkness in you too.** _

 

_**Yeah but I know where my 'let's temporarily suspend the regularly scheduled programming' button is. You generally don't.... #justsayin** _

 

_**Hey! I resemble that remark....** _

 

_**LOL. Love you Tone. Keep an eye on him. Like I told Darce, I'm here if you guys need anything.** _

 

_Tony almost felt like she was saying something without actually saying it. A habit of hers, Aunt Kata's and Faolan's that he'd always found irritating. They would speak and he'd be forced to read between the lines to see what was actually being said. Cryptic was their schtick and no one did it better than Jenny. He felt like she was telling him to keep an eye out for Barnes **for her.**_

 

_Oddly enough, it gave him hope that she'd one day be under the same roof as both he and Darcy. Granted she had Joey, Damien and Aunt Kata, but he still felt like it wasn't enough. Since Faolan's death, he felt an overwhelming need to have Jenny with him - them. A nagging in the back of his mind kept telling him she and Sansa weren't as safe as everyone believed. Something was going on and he couldn't quite put his finger on it._

 

_**Not physically here, you're not! #nowwhosjustsayin** _

 

_Jenny sighed deeply. She knew moving to Avengers Tower was inevitable but she still wasn't ready. That didn't stop Tony and Darcy from trying every single chance they got. **Can we not go there? I'm fairly certain you guys have someone else to focus on right now.** She hadn't even seen him in the flesh yet but she could taste the fear, hesitation and uncertainty coming off of James Buchanan Barnes in waves. Even from sixty plus miles away._

 

_Tony frowned as he stepped into the elevator. He knew she was right so the discussion had to be tabled for another time. Unbeknownst to Darcy, Steve and most of their “crew”, he and Natasha had put a plan in place for this moment a while ago. She'd woken him one night while Pepper was in Tokyo. Pushing a file across the table to him, she explained what she knew about the Winter Soldier and how Bucky Barnes survived the fall originally believed to have killed him._

 

_**Fine. But we're revisiting that later Lil Bit. Your evil tactics of distraction will only work for so long....** _

 

_With a parting quip, she put her phone down and let Tony do what needed to be done. *** Rolls eyes cackling evilly* Yes, yes. Love you Tone.**_

 

–

 

_Bucky had been thrown off by the greeting he'd received as Darcy dragged him by his metal hand into Avengers Tower. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that Stevie's girl seemed to be nonplussed by his bionic arm. They went in the private entrance of course._

 

_There was a redheaded woman that he recognized. Only she looked older than when he'd seen her last._

 

_He suddenly found himself embraced by the woman._ What is with these people? No fear what so ever. _“Yasha,” she whispered as she kissed his cheek._

 

“ _Natalia,” he replied fondly, the memories washing over him. “You've grown well.”_

 

_She smiled softly at him as she cupped his cheek. “I go by Natasha these days. We've been waiting for you.”_

 

_The man standing next to her could only be Howard Stark's son. The resemblance was definitely unmistakeable. Darcy hugged him and he kissed her forehead as he whispered to her about someone named Jenny. She bounced on her toes with an excited smile in response. He cleared his throat to get their attention. “Sargent Barnes, I'm Tony Stark. Welcome home.”_

 

“ _Home?” he asked disbelievingly as he shook Tony's hand._

 

_Tony nodded with an inviting smile. “Yeah. We all call Avengers Tower home or as Boobs over here calls it,” he said as he hip checked a giggling Darcy, “the Tony Stark Home for Wayward Souls with Superhero Complexes.”_

 

“ _TSHWSSC for short,” Darcy added with snarky grin, mischief in her eyes. Bucky could definitely see the appeal she held for Steve. A gorgeous broad with sass for days was his type without a doubt. She could clearly hold her own and loved those around her to the point of distraction. Bucky found himself envious of his best friend._

 

“ _You're in luck,” Tony told him as the girls each grabbed one of his arms, dragging him toward the elevator. “Spangles and the Feathery Duo literally just left in a quinjet for Europe to help SHIELD with a situation.  Gives you a week or two to get used to our madness.”_

 

“ _Tony,” Darcy said in a warning tone._

 

“ _What?” he retorted wincing as she smacked him upside the head. “I told you guys I'd behave. This is me behaving and you know it.”_

 

“ _Welcome to the circus Sargent Barnes,” Jarvis declared as they entered the elevator._

 

“ _Et tu Jarvis?” Tony said as he frowned at the ceiling._

 

“ _Just keeping it real Sir.”_

 

_Darcy and Natasha giggled as the elevator doors slid shut._

 

“ _Avengers Away” Darcy yelled as the elevator rose toward the penthouse._

 

“ _Yeah cause that's never gonna get old,” Tony muttered as he leaned back against the wall._

 

“ _You're right, it won't,” was the confident reply he received as Darcy crossed her arms, arched her eyebrow ala Pepper and dared him to respond._

 

“ _It's creepy as hell that you can do that. Me thinks you spend too much time with my wife.”_

 

“ _Are they always like this?” Bucky whispered in Natasha's ear._

 

“ _This is tame. Add in my husband, Steve, Sam, Thor and the rest of our merry band and you'll see that they're actually really toning it down for your benefit right now.”_

 

“ _Why?”_

 

“ _They were told to.”_

 

“ _By who?”_

 

“ _You'll find out eventually,” she replied cryptically._

 

_Growing up with Steve, joining the Army and Hydra aside, the following three weeks were probably some of the most interesting of his life._

 

_Until the following year that is...._

 

–

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love :)


	13. The Ninth Avenger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys are running out of excuses to keep Jenny out of the fray....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I struggled with this one a bit. Hopefully you like....

**A month after Steve & Darcy's wedding**

 

Jenny had undergone every single conceivable test that Tony, Bruce and Doctor Cho could think of before they let her 'play' (explore her skills).

 

She'd gotten antsy after a few months at the Tower. They finally gave in to her request that they let her completely explore her abilities.

 

On the condition that she let experts teach her.

 

They knew that she had some control over the elements. She'd turned a glass of water to ice and then back again. She whipped up winds with the spin of a finger, and could bounce a ball of fire in her palm. To learn control over it, they had her spend time with the X-Men, specifically Storm and Ice Man. For the fire, she ended up tagging along with Johnny Storm much to Bucky's displeasure.

 

Even though he was loosely related to Steve (he, Sue and Johnny shared a great-great-great-great grandfather), Bucky had an intense dislike for the younger man. Johnny was arrogant and thought he was God's gift to women. After one conversation with Darcy and Natasha though, he most certainly did not behave like his usual self when working with Jenny. He was respectful which for a while was almost creepy.

 

“So what's the challenge?”

 

“Avengers Level 1 – take down twenty guys in less than ten minutes.”

 

“What are the stakes?”

 

“Dinner at whatever restaurant the Avengers choose.”

 

“K, and what do I get if I do it?”

 

“Bragging rights.”

 

“That's it?”

 

Tony narrowed his eyes on his cousin, not liking where she seemed to be going with this. He was already apprehensive about things as is. Jenny going into the fray was not something he really wanted to get behind.

 

But as Heimdall pointed out on their last visit to Asgard, Jenny was determined to a fault as was the rest of the Stark family. She came by it honestly. He'd be hypocritical to exclude her from the battle if she was properly able to defend herself. Like it or not, the fight against Hydra became hers too the moment her and Sansa were abducted from that street in Brazil. If they stood in her way, she'd likely resent it.

 

“Yes that's it. This is a fully interactive simulation. You can actually get hurt. And understand that if at any time we feel you're in trouble, we can step in.”

 

“Yeah, yeah. 'S fine. I'll be good. I've been training with you guys an tha Asgardian Five (Jenny's nickname for Sif, the Warriors three and Heimdall) for two months solid. I got this,” she declared confidently. “What's the record?”

 

“Two minutes thirty-three seconds.”

 

“Who tha hell did that?”

 

Everyone except the man in question replied at once. “Bucky.”

 

She rolled her eyes. “Not even my Inhuman ass 's gonna beat that one. Tash, what's your record?”

 

The redhead arched an eyebrow. “Six minutes fifty-six seconds. And that's only because two of the opponents are always hiding in the simulation. No matter how many times I've done it.”

 

Jenny grinned as she winked at her friend. “Bugs ya ass, don't it?”

 

She nodded with a smirk. “Of course it does.”

 

“Aight, Tash's time is tha one I'm working towards,” she said as she moved to the middle of the room while cracking her knuckles.

 

As the music started blaring, Jenny grinned ferally. The first two of her opponents came into view.

 

“Holy shit,” she said as she jumped up onto the catwalk of the larger training room. With very little effort, she'd just jumped almost thirty feet in the air. “This is awesome.”

 

The group watched with various expressions as Jenny bounced around taking out her attackers with barely restrained glee. From years of dance and gymnastics lessons, she moved around with the same grace that Natasha displayed. They let her play because frankly, no one was sure of what her true baseline was yet.

 

“Tone, you said this playroom was Hulk proof right?”

 

“Yeah why?”

 

Without another word, she stuck out her hand and a blast shot the opponent nearest her towards the wall. Nothing broke but the plaster cracked a smidge. “Holy shit,” she exclaimed, “I didn't think that would work. That was so cool!”

 

She beat Natasha's record by a minute and ten seconds. In the redhead's defense, Darcy called it comparing apples to oranges because Jenny had powers and Tasha didn't.

 

It had snowballed from there. Jenny had proven ridiculously adept at whatever they threw her way. Bucky, Tony and Steve were quickly running out of excuses to keep her from the field.

 

Since taking out the Hydra base in Brazil, they'd been using the intelligence gathered from the computers to wipe base after base out. There was no rhyme or reason to their attacks so those stupid wannabe Nazi bastards (as Darcy had dubbed them) never saw them coming. They were enjoying the element of surprise for the moment.

 

Jenny wanted in. She was thirsty for their blood. For revenge. Yekaterina had informed them that they had no choice but to let her into the fold. The Fates had always meant for her to be an Avenger.

 

Especially since there was more at stake now.

 

Only the girls were aware though.....at least for the moment.

 

**The Previous Week**

 

“ _You know we can't tell them about it yet, right?”_

 

_Both Natasha and Yekaterina nodded solemnly._

 

“ _They're not ready for it. This isn't the time,” was Natasha's response._

 

_Jenny nodded solemnly. “Like it or not, I'm going to become an Avenger. Either that or von Strucker will be successful. They hold a lot of misplaced anger and he's been playing on it. Without me there, she'll destroy you from the inside out. I can shield you from her powers. She won't know what to make of it. It will throw them so far off base that we'll be able to get them to see reason.”_

 

“ _Child, are you prepared for the fact that both Anthony and James could possibly be angry with you for some time because you kept this secret?”_

 

“ _The needs of the many....” she replied trailing off._

 

“ _Outweigh the needs of the few,” Natasha finished for her. “They will just have to accept it. Everyone needs to come home in one piece. It's not just about bruised egos anymore.”_

 

“ _No it is about family. When are you going to share your news, speaking of that?” Yekaterina asked the red head knowingly._

 

_Natasha's hand drifted to her stomach as she smiled softly. “I'm not supposed to be able to have children. The Red Room,”_

 

“ _Is in the past,” Jenny said as she reached across the table for her hand. “Me thinks Frigga and Odin did more than just grant you guys long lives. Accept the gift you've been given Tash,” she moved around the table and knelt in front of her. She covered her friend's hand on her belly. “This one will be one of the most loved, cherished, spoiled and protected little boys there ever was. You and Clint will give him everything you guys never had. Just think of all the trouble the kids will all get in together.”_

 

“ _Kids?”_

 

“ _Tash, clearly you haven't been paying attention. Pepper's pregnant.”_

 

“ _As is Darcy,” Yekaterina added._

 

“ _Oh the trouble two boys and two girls will get into around here,” Jenny giggled._

 

“ _Especially when Sansa will be the ringleader.”_

 

–

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love :)


	14. Halo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky gets his shit together....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feels and Smut and Fluff.....
> 
> Did I mention Smut?
> 
> Maybe some angst if you squint right....but it's nothing major....
> 
> Song lyrics used in the chapter come from "Satisfy You" by P. Diddy (or whatever the hell he's calling himself these days) feat. R. Kelly

Of course once Pepper, Darcy and Natasha informed their significant others of their pregnancies, Tony did what he does best: throw a party.

 

He invited the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and a bunch of close friends.

 

Which led to the present situation.

 

Bucky let loose a barely restrained growl as he watched Jenny dancing with Johnny Storm. _If that prick doesn't keep his hands in appropriate places, I'll rip them off and feed them to his flaming ass._

 

“Buck?”

 

“What Punk?” he growled as he glanced at Steve who was smirking.

 

“You look a little frustrated,” Steve remarked choking back laughter.

 

“Fuck off Punk. Fuck off.”

 

“You really gonna let that asshole grope your girl Barnes?” Clint egged as he joined them.

 

Both he and Steve grinned at each other as they watched their best friend repeatedly clench his fists as he stood there watching Jenny turn so that her back was to Johnny's front, their hips moving in time with each other to the beat.

 

Bucky stomped off as the song changed. That and it looked like Storm's hands were headed for Jenny's ass.

 

Darcy and Clint wordlessly pulled out $10 each and handed it to Steve who held his hand open with a knowing grin.

 

“I bet they screw each other stupid before the night is through,” Darcy said as she watched Bucky make his way across the room. “She hasn't activated Rule 69 yet, but I know she will.”

 

“Rule 69?” Clint asked with interest and raised eyebrows.

 

“Yeah,” she said clearing her throat, rolling her eyes at the obvious innuendo in the archer's voice. “Tony doesn't know about this one and it will stay that way. If he finds out, my taser will be the least of your problems. Rule 69 is as follows: When going to do something insanely and deliciously dirty, always let your wing man know. If your wing man doesn't hear from you after six hours, they are to assume the worst and call the police. But they can't forget to wipe the internet history on your computer and cellphone when they do. We even had a password to let the other know that we weren't seconds away from being murdered. However,since our circumstances have changed drastically, it has morphed into: when going to do something insanely or deliciously dirty, let your wing man know so that you can a) in Jenny's instance have a babysitter and b) your wing man can run interference so that no one can foul up your plans.”

 

Clint smirked with a dirty look in his eyes. “How many other rules do you girls have that Stark doesn't know about?”

 

“Wouldn't you like to know,” Darcy retorted raising her eyebrows up and down.

 

“Guess we're taking Sansa for the night huh?” Steve (surprisingly enough not blushing – which impressed the hell out of Clint) asked as he pulled Darcy back into his arms and kissed the side of her neck.

 

Clint eyed his friends carefully. It was quite clear they wanted to partake in Rule #69 themselves. They were still in the Honeymoon Phase. He caught Natasha's eyes by the bar (he frowned realizing his wife was again drinking a ginger ale – but if he asked her if she was alright again she threatened to hit him – don't judge his wife was pregnant cut him some slack...) and they had a silent conversation. “If you guys want the night to yourselves, Tash and I will take the Lil Lil Bit.”

 

“You sure?” Darcy asked as she glanced around for Natasha to get confirmation. When she locked eyes with her friend, the red head nodded with a smile and a wink.

 

“Yeah we got her.”

 

_ **Meanwhile....** _

 

Bucky's jaw clenched the closer he got to Jenny. Thankfully, he stepped up to her just in time to prevent Storm's hands from wandering any further. “When am I getting ya to myself Doll?” He asked trying to keep the irritation from his voice. Jenny was truly unaware of the effect she had on the male population.

 

She winked at him as she pulled away from Johnny. “Thanks for the dance,” she said with a genuine smile.

 

“Any time Beautiful,” Johnny said as he leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Barnes,” he said in lieu of greeting Bucky, making every effort not to show how pissed off he was that his plans had been interrupted. But of course of all men that would put a kink in things it had to be the Winter Soldier. He should've known better than to think she wouldn't already be ridiculously attached to her partner in crime.

 

“Storm,” he bit out as he pulled Jenny back against him.

 

Jenny could feel how tense Bucky was even as they moved against each other (which she found really impressive considering he didn't seem to care for most hip hop much) to the beat of the music. His hands gripped her hips possessively and held her to him. “Jaime?” She tried to turn to face him but he wouldn't budge.

 

 _He don't understand you like I do_  
_No he'll never make love to you like I do_  
_So give it to me_  
_Cause I can show you 'bout a real love_  
_And I can promise anything that I do_  
_Is just to satisfy you_

 

“Didn't like his hands on you,” he murmured the tension in his shoulders draining a bit as he held onto her. His thumbs stroked her hips.

 

She covered both his hands with her own. A pleasant hum ran through her whole body at the contact. All night, no matter who she'd danced with, she found herself wishing every one of them was Jaime. “I woulda put him in his place,” she gasped out.

 

“Still wouldn'ta been right,” he said pulling her closer.

 

He nudged at her neck and her head tilted to the side allowing him access. Her response was breathy. “Oh yeah? And why's that?”

 

“Cause you're mine,” he growled as his nose skimmed her skin. She smelled intoxicating. A mix of _Marc Jacobs Daisy_ and something that was distinctly Jenny. He wanted to drown in her and never resurface.

 

Closing her eyes, she got lost in the feel of his body against hers moving so intimately. Jenny's pulse skyrocketed as his declaration shot straight to her core.

 

“Say it,” he demanded as his lips caressed her neck, never losing his rhythm.

 

She licked her lips and continued to move against him. The feel of his mouth on her skin lit every nerve in her body.

 

He spun her around – their faces, their lips were a fraction of an inch apart. His hand slid into her hair. “Say it,” he commanded as he tugged gently.

 

Jenny gasped as chills ran down her spine. Possessive and Bossy Bucky was hot. _Really fuckin hot._ “I'm yours,” she moaned helplessly.

 

With a groan his lips crashed into hers. Before they were caught in a compromising position on the public floors, Bucky grabbed her hand and tugged her towards the elevator.

 

Money exchanged hands all over the place. Johnny Storm stood dumbfounded. His whining was cut short by cuffs to the back of the head from both his sister and Darcy.

 

–

 

“Are ya sure Jaime?”

 

There was that question again. She'd asked it in the elevator too in between kisses. He let out a frustrated growl and tightened his hold on her. It was time for a new plan of attack. Rather than say it, he'd have to show her. How much she meant to him. This would be easier because he was more a man of action anyway. Planning was Stevie's thing. Acting on instinct was his. His lips, almost of their own will, attacked her neck again.

 

Of course he was sure. He, James Buchanan Barnes had never wanted anything or anyone the way he wanted Jennifer Stark. And not just for the night. For the rest of his life.

 

Now was his chance to show her.

 

She couldn't swallow the moan that escaped her lips. The rational and irrational sides of her brain were arguing big time right now. The rational side was telling her to get as far away from him (because she couldn't possibly what he wanted) as she could while the irrational side was telling her to give in and go with the flow. That she wanted this and wanted him.

 

Which wasn't a lie. She realized a while ago that she wanted, needed and loved him to the point of distraction.

 

He brushed some of her hair off her neck and began to press more insistent kisses along her neck and shoulder, licking and nipping along the way. "Jaime stop." She told him half-heartedly.

 

"Why," he mumbled into her skin. He knew that she didn't mean it. Her protest held no conviction in it. She wanted him just as bad as he wanted her. And he knew it. He could feel it. The want was coming off her in waves as her body pressed back against his. The hints that everyone had dropped over the last couple of weeks were finally clicking into place. Jenny wanted him back and it seemed that everyone but him knew it.

 

"We shouldn't." She protested. It didn't sound very convincing though. The fact that she wasn't pushing him away spoke volumes too. She was terrified of taking that next step and losing what she already had.

 

He smiled at the vulnerability she was showing him. Jenny held all the cards and she didn't have the slightest clue. If anybody was gonna break the other it would be Jenny breaking him. He needed her like he needed the air he breathed.

 

They belonged together.

 

He was gonna convince her of that even if it killed him.

 

"I don't think that's it Jenn." He told her as his tongue caressed her ear. "I think it's because I have the same effect on you that you've had on me since I first laid eyes on you." One of his hands locked with hers and covered her stomach. He continued to nibble on her neck. This had been a long time coming. It was now or never. "Tell me Jenn,'s that it? Do I make ya just as crazy as ya do me? Have ya wanted this for just as long as I have?"

 

Her response was another moan as she pressed herself back into him. This wasn't even remotely what she'd imagined (well that was lie she imagined it so many times it wasn't even funny but she'd never thought it would happen) when he'd stepped up behind her to dance but the way he kept touching her was changing her mind. And the fact that being in his arms had always felt right to her certainly didn't help matters. Had he really meant what he said? Did he really want her? Had he really wanted her all this time? She decided that maybe for once she'd take a page from the Bucky Barnes book of life: act first, ask questions later. It was settled as the irrational part of her brain took a sledgehammer to the rational part.

 

The hand on her stomach slowly crept its way under her tank top. His name crept passed her lips in a breathless moan. "Mmm Jaime."

 

He smiled and he turned her face toward his. As he captured her lips, his tongue sought out hers in a kiss that was possessive and absolutely filthy. It made her wetter if that was at all possible.

 

Wanting to kiss her more, he turned her towards him and pushed down her on the bed. She gasped as he moved her where he wanted her and then climbed on the bed himself.

 

Bucky moaned into her mouth as he shifted himself more on top of Jenny. He wanted her to feel what she did to him. What she'd been doing to him for all this time. His hands tangled in her long locks as their tongues fought for domination.

 

In response, Jenny locked her legs around his thighs. Her eyes nearly rolled into the back of her head as she felt the evidence of his arousal rubbing against her creating a delicious friction. His hips snapped against hers as his mouth attacked her neck again. She cried out as the seam of his jeans caught and rubbed her clit just right. His answer was another snap of his hips and a growl in her ear. It was filthy and primal and she loved it. She gasped and bit down on his shoulder as she moved against him seeking more friction.

 

A shiver of pleasure ran down her spine at the thought of actually having him inside her. She ran her hands up over his shoulders before wrapping them around his neck. He was right, she had been imagining this moment for a long time now. All she'd wanted was to be consumed by the fire that was James Barnes.

 

He felt himself harden even further as Jenny's kisses became more insistent. He couldn't stop now even if he'd wanted to. He'd wanted her so bad and for so long. There was no question. This was happening now. It needed to or he was sure he'd die. For real this time.

 

Her hands decided to occupy themselves under his shirt. Trails of fire followed wherever her fingers danced across his skin. She kept pushing his shirt higher and higher revealing more of his glorious skin for her to touch. With a groan, he pulled away from her long enough to rid himself it. Before returning his mouth back to its rightful place, he ran a shaky hand down the side of her face. "Look at me Jenn."

 

As she locked eyes with him a shiver ran down her spine. A million emotions were swimming in his blue beautiful depths. Lust. Want. Need. And...

 

"I love you. I need ya to know that. Before we do this. I need ya to know what ya mean to me. Do ya have any idea how much I want ya? How much it's been killin me all this time sleeping in this bed with ya an not touchin ya like this?" He rubbed his lower body against hers hard to demonstrate.

 

She shook her head and shivered at the huskiness in his voice and the truth in his eyes.

 

He let out a little laugh. She really had no idea of the effect she'd had on him all this time. His delightfully oblivious girl. "Mine. All I can think is that you're mine now. God Jenn ya mean more to me than anythin. All the times the media put pictures of us up and we laughed about the reports. I wanted to shout to anyone who'd listen that they were right. That I do love you and you're my girl. Mine and no one else's. I've wanted to tell ya how I felt for so long now. I love ya."

 

“I want ya too,” she whispered breathlessly as she ran her fingers through the hair on the back of his neck, a bright smile on her face.

 

He brushed away the tears that were brimming in her eyes. "No tears Baby. I'm in this for the long haul. 'S no going back. From now on, 's you an me. I know I can be a jackass at times when it comes to feelins. But I'll do my damndest to show ya every day that ya mine and I love ya. I never in my wildest dreams," he laughed "well okay maybe in wildest dreams, thought that you could feel the same for me. It's taken seein ya in someone else's arms to realize that I needed to tell ya. That I need ya so much." He leaned down and brushed a kiss across her neck before continuing. His voice dropped to a whisper as his mouth hovered near her ear. "I won't even lie and say that I've never dreamt of us in this situation before, cause I have. Loads of times. I've imagined havin you beneath me like this so many times. To be able to kiss ya like this," his mouth descended to her neck.

 

"Gods Jaime." She clung to him desperately. The fire that his words and kisses were igniting was sure to explode. To know that he'd wanted her just as much was intoxicating. As his tongue swirled around her ear, she arched into him. The soft groan he let out in response went straight through her. She rubbed their lower bodies together in an effort to dissipate some of the delicious friction in between her thighs. But that only made it worse. They both groaned. She too had wanted him for so long. Too long. All she could think about now was feeling him inside of her taking her to heights of pleasure she'd only dreamed about.

 

"Jenn," he whispered in her ear. “Feel so good against me baby.”

 

Her name had never sounded so right and so hot at the same time. The way he whispered it in reverence was her undoing. Her mouth sought out his.

 

"Jaime," she replied against his lips. “Want ya so bad.”

 

He smiled before claiming her mouth again in a passionate kiss. It pleased him to no end that he knocked her just as off balance as she did him. His kisses grew more and more frantic. Not like the gentle ones he'd given only minutes ago. No these kisses were a little more forceful.

 

Not that she minded. If she was right, he'd been wanting _needing_ this for just as long as she had. The knowledge that he wanted her and _loved_ her was heady. So she didn't mind that his desperation to be with her came out in his kiss. It only held the promise of things to come. Of the delicious fire that they'd both soon be burning in. She decided to pull away to do some exploring of her own. A low growl emanated from his throat as she attacked his neck. She smirked as she found a spot that had him panting.

 

"Jenn," he moaned as dug his fingers in her hair. He held her long crimson locks tightly. Her perfect mouth and the feel of her tongue ring on his skin was intoxicating. It made him harder than he thought he had ever been in his entire life. Her mouth latched onto a spot just behind his ear. He couldn't help the loud groan that fell from his lips. That spot had always driven him nuts but with Jenny's mouth occupying the territory, it made him melt with want. Bolts of pleasure shot through his body. And they'd only just begun.

 

She moaned in turn as she felt his hands tighten their hold on her. His lower body, almost of its own volition was bucking into hers as she concentrated on his neck. She wanted him completely on edge for her. Both of them were so used to maintaining control that she knew they needed to lose it with each other. She said a silent prayer that he would give as good as he got. The thought sent a whole new round of shivers of pleasure down her spine.

 

It was at this point he realized she was still fully dressed. Well if you could call her little black ensemble fully dressed. She was certainly making use of the fact that since she was technically on 'vacation', she didn't have to wear anything that was close to the dressy shit she had to wear for work. She had on skin tight black skirt and a black tank top with lacy trim to match. And while she looked amazing in it, he wanted her out of it. Now.

 

Her being dressed was something he was about to remedy. With all of his will, he pushed up off of Jenny. She laid back on the bed, hair all tussled, and lips swollen. Looking more perfect that way than his mind could ever conjure up.

 

"Off." He growled as he grabbed her tank top.

 

She sat up and rid herself of the offending garment, all the while a wolfish grin graced her face. She then laid back on the bed. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think ya just want to see me naked Sargent."

 

Her use of his rank shot straight to his groin. Okay that was now a thing. "Oh I do Princess." He replied huskily. "I have plans for ya." He thought he had died and gone to Heaven as Jenny laid there in only her bra and skirt. He was eying her bra, contemplating all of the ways he could coax her out of it.

 

She giggled at the glimmer of mischief in his eyes. "Oh you do huh?"

 

"My plans include both of us being naked." He rid himself of his own pants faster than he could ever remember. She smiled even wider as the desperation became evident on his handsome face. In seconds he was back on top of her in only his boxers.

 

Bucky suddenly realized that there were only a precious few layers left between the two of them. He pulled her closer to him. The next thing she knew, he had unzipped her skirt and was pulling it down her legs.

 

No sooner than she was out of her skirt was he on top of her again. He nearly lost it when he realized something. She wasn't wearing any underwear. He groaned loudly.

 

Now she smiled with mischief in her eyes. "That skirt isn't really comfortable if I have to wear something under it."

 

The realization that the only thing standing between them was his boxers nearly drove him over the edge. And the fact that Jenny's hands were now creeping their way down there only made it worse. He hissed in satisfaction as she reached the waistband of the now offending garment.

 

As she pushed her hands inside of his boxers, Bucky thought he was gonna die. She hadn't even really touched him there and already he was burning. But Jennifer Stark had him on a slow burn for months. Tonight, he intended to go up in flames. And she was coming with him.

 

In a move that he hadn't seen coming, Jenny had rid him of his boxers completely using just her feet. She then used the opportunity to push him onto his back. She slowly followed the path her hands had taken.

 

When her mouth reached its intended destination, Bucky groaned loudly. His hands tangled in her hair as her mouth descended upon him. He thought he could die right there and then with her deliciously talented mouth wrapped around him.

 

"Jenn," he moaned. His tone was almost begging. Her mouth was doing the most amazing things to him. But he didn't want things to end just yet. Before she could complete her mission, Bucky, with all of his remaining willpower, turned the tables on her.

 

As he yanked her back up to him, he unhooked the latch on her bra. Jenny was now completely naked. His mouth watered at the sight. He pulled her to sit in his lap.

 

He slowly ran his hands up and down her body. She shuddered as his mouth latched onto one of her sensitive nipples. "Mmm Jaime." His tongue swirled around her nipple as he bit down softly. She ground herself into him as he repeated the action on her other breast. She held his head to her as his tongue did marvelous things. Jenny threw her head back and bit her lower lip. His mouth was making her hotter and hotter by the minute. She couldn't help it as her body responded in kind.

 

His mouth never left her as he reversed their previous positions on the bed. Once he had her where he wanted her however, his mouth began an excruciatingly slow descent. Kiss. Lick. Suck. Bite. She thought she was gonna die right there at the sensations his glorious mouth was causing. She cried out as every nerve in her body fired with pleasure.

 

He loved watching her go insane. He observed through hooded eyes, as her head fell back against the pillows and her eyes rolled back with a moan. This was what he had wanted: Jennifer Stark under him and moaning his name. There was just one more thing he'd wanted to do to her before he made them one.

 

She grabbed a fistful of his hair and dragged him back up her body. His intention was quite clear. And as much as she wanted Bucky to do what he planned, she couldn't wait any longer. She had to have him inside her. She burned kisses up the side of his neck, which elicited a moan out of him. And when she finally reached his ear she whispered huskily "I need you inside me now Jaime."

 

"Yes Ma'am." He happily complied with her demand, and positioned himself above her.

 

There was a look of pure ecstasy on both of their faces as he slowly pushed his way inside her. "Jaime." She immediately arched up off the bed. It felt so amazing to finally have him inside her. She had never felt so filled, so complete before. And he was hitting all the right spots. He slowly began moving in and out of her deliciously tight body.

 

"God, you feel so good baby." He breathed in her ear. He emphasized his words with a thrust of his hips. "Hot." Thrust. "Wet." Thrust "Tight." Thrust. "So fuckin good." The feel of being inside her did amazing things to him. He had always imagined that it would be like this. Never in his life had anything felt so perfect. He wanted to stay like this forever. The dazed smile she gave him told him that she didn't mind.

 

So James Barnes had a dirty mouth in bed. Who knew? And she loved it. His words only made her hotter. If that was even possible at this point. "Jaime, baby." She cried as she tried to speed up the pace of their lovemaking. She'd been waiting too long for this. Slow was something they could do later.

 

"Jenn." He hissed her name softly.

 

"Faster." She shrieked. He was going painfully slow. He wanted to take his time with her. But she had other plans. She needed release and she needed it now.

She somehow managed to flip them over, so that she was on top. She began to rock her hips almost violently. He met her thrust for thrust. "Jaime please help me. Oh Gods."

 

He held her hips in an effort to find the pace she wanted. After a few minutes, they finally reached the steady rhythm she so desperately needed. He knew by the look of passion in her glazed, unfocused eyes. “'S that what ya want Baby? 'S that it right there? Ya gonna cum for me pretty girl? Hmm? Ya gonna cum on me?”

 

"Mmm right there. Oh god. Don't stop. Right there Jaime," she panted as she laced her fingers through his above his head. They were steadily driving each other insane.

 

Although this was their first time together there was no awkwardness. Just pure passion driving them towards oblivion. Towards what promised to be an explosive release.

 

"Gods Jaime. So good." She couldn't think straight, not that she could think at all. She couldn't control the way her body responded to his as she raised and lowered herself onto to him. It was as if something primal inside of her took over. She needed him deeper. If that was even possible.

 

His mouth latched on to that sensitive spot on her neck. "Fuck. So fuckin good Jenn," he hissed.

 

She ran her hands across his chest, feeling all of his muscles contract at her touch. His bionic arm creating a delicious friction again her skin.

 

"Baby I'm almost there." She let the fire, and passion take over her.

 

He hummed in response as his bionic hand snaked down her body, a finger dancing against her clit. “Mmmm such a good girl. Wanna feel it Jenn. Wanna feel ya cum for me.”

 

Throwing her head back in ecstasy, her orgasm took over. Jenny cried out his name as she flew over the edge.

 

"Shit baby." He felt her inner walls clamp down around him. And that was all it took to send him after her.

 

Afterward, they laid in bed. His arm draped over her stomach as she curled back into him. "Ya have no clue how long I've wanted to do that," he whispered huskily in her ear.

 

"The feeling's mutual." She turned to face him. "Jaime there's something I wanna tell ya."

 

He didn't answer her but his eyes told her to continue.

 

She blushed. Well he could swear she blushed. "I know you've already said it a few times and I realize that ya probably want to hear it from me too. I-I-I love you. Truth is I have for a long time."

 

He nearly stopped breathing at her confession. It was like God himself had suddenly decided to grant him eternal happiness. He crushed his mouth to hers in a fierce kiss. With those three words, Jennifer Stark had just made James Barnes the happiest little shit from Brooklyn in this corner of the universe.

 

Then he pulled back with his trademark ' _Bucky Barnes is a little shit and knows something'_ smirk plastered all over his face. "Jennifer Stark loves me." He was rewarded with a pillow to the face. Still he couldn't keep himself from grinning like the village idiot. "No it's cute. You love me. No take backs."

 

She laughed. God it was good to see her smile like that and know he was the cause. Silently, he decided he'd do anything for the rest of his life to keep that smile on her face. "I'll never take it back . There's no going back. We've wasted too much time dancin around each otha as is. We both know life is too short."

 

He brushed some of her hair away from her face. "I love ya Jenn. So much."

 

She leaned in to kiss him but went straight to his ear instead. "Wanna show me how much Soldier?"

 

Within seconds, he had her pinned to the bed and was inside her again. She seemed to forget the refractory period for a super soldier.

 

She cried out. "Jaime." His name fell from her lips like a prayer. She thrust her hips into his.

 

"Slow baby." he moaned into her ear, "this time we're going slow. God you feel so good wrapped around me."

 

"You feel so good inside me," she moaned in return.

 

It took all of his willpower to maintain the painfully slow pace he was thrusting into her tight body at. He was more than sure that this was what Heaven felt like.

 

She bit her lip as he moved impossibly slow. Never in her life had anything felt so amazing and torturous at once.

 

He locked his hands with hers at their sides.

 

And that was how they stayed for a while, staring into each others eyes and making slow love. That was the way things should've been between them a long time ago. They came together that second time with soft cries against each other's lips.

 

Wrapped up in each other, with Jenny still on top of him, they fell asleep.

 

Throughout the remainder of the night they woke periodically, taking pleasure in each other.

 

–

 

She woke up with a smile on her face as she felt him stroking her side from her hip to her shoulder, her back to his front.

 

He pressed a kiss to her neck before moving his mouth so that it was next to her ear. "Marry me Jenn."

 

She couldn't help the grin that graced her face as butterflies gathered in her stomach. She sent a silent prayer up to the Gods that this wasn't a dream or something. "You better not be kidding Jaime."

 

He grinned against her shoulder. "Oh I assure you that I'm not Ms. Stark. The ring on your finger says I'm definitely not."

 

"What ring?" She asked as she glanced at her left hand. On her ring finger was a simple one stone band. It looked to be either platinum or white gold with a stone in the middle in the shape of a star. The stone seemed to change colors in the light. It was simple yet gorgeous. Upon further inspection of the stone she realized that the same star that was on his arm was somehow set inside of it. "How?"

 

"Frigga and Heimdall. I told them what I wanted and this is what they made. The metal is the same that my arm is made of. The stone is the same element that makes up the Bi-Frost. Frigga added the red star. Once you fell asleep I slipped it on your finger. Is it okay?"

 

"It's more than that Jaime. It's amazing. Yes."

 

His heart stopped. She just said yes! She _wanted_ to be _his_ wife. "I'm sorry can I hear that again cause I think I just heard Jenn Stark agree to marry me."

 

She pushed some of his hair behind his ear. He grinned like a little kid on Christmas. "She did. Jenn Stark just agreed to become Jaime Barnes' wife." A brilliant smile graced her face. "Pinch me cause I must be dreamin."

 

He gave her his trademark smirk in return. "If you are then we're dreamin together Doll. An I don't ever wanna wake up."

 

Save for a few texts they sent to their family. No one saw hide nor hair of Jenny and Bucky for the next few days.

 

And that was just fine by them and Sansa. Speaking of which, the little girl squealed uncontrollably when she found out that her Mom and Jaime were getting married. She calmed down long enough to ask if she was gonna be Flower Girl (again capitals totally warranted) again.

 

–

 

Instagram blew up (like legitimately froze) when Jenny posted a picture of her smiling (more like grinning like a fool) – she was clearly holding the phone over her. Bucky had his arms wrapped around her, his nose skimming her neck as his expression matched hers. In his eyes though, was so much love that it nearly stole her breath when she'd looked at it later on. They couldn't have looked happier if they tried. The shot was in black and white – their eyes being the only things in the picture to be in color. She captioned it _He's so incredibly amazing. #andhesmine #lovehimsofreakinmuch #JandJ_

 

She then followed it up with a post of her sitting in his lap. His head rested on her shoulder. She held up her left hand showing off the engagement ring. The pair smiled at the camera brightly. His right hand was pointing to her left. It was captioned _He asked and I answered. #JandJ #FutureMrsBarnes #CantStopSmiling_

 

Later on that day Bucky's rarely used Instagram account was dusted off when he posted a pic that Steve had snapped of them. They'd been watching _Star Trek Into Darkness_ and Jenny fell asleep. His arm was wrapped around her and her hand was over his heart. Sansa sat in his lap, she too was asleep, one little hand on her mother's face and the other clutching at his shirt possessively. He smiled as he looked down at them. He captioned it _Still trying to figure out how I got so damn lucky.... #lovemygirls #keepinthemforever #BarnesFamilyofThree_

 

The world let out a collective awwww at the posts. Entertainment Tonight ran a story featuring the pictures and talking about the unlikely love story of the two newest Avengers. It was the top story on many news outlets that night. The world was speculating on when the pair would tie the knot.

 

–

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love :)


	15. Daddy's Little Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky and Sansa bond....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Complete and total mush....and I make no apologies for it....
> 
>  
> 
> My muse is kinda stuck at the moment but I managed to put this little bit of fluff together.....
> 
>  
> 
> Please let me know what you think, I won't lie I was kinda disappointed by the lack of reviews on the last few chapters :(

The first time Sansa called Bucky _Daddy_ came as a shock to him but not to Jenny. It was only a few days after he'd proposed. They had taken her and the dogs to the park for some fresh air fun. For fifteen minutes they watched as she ran around giggling happily with Freya and Hypnos chasing her both playing and keeping an eye on their charge.

 

It was a gorgeous day and Jenny was perfectly content to lay her head in her fiance's lap looking at the clouds.

 

Bucky loved it. He was finally at peace in both mind and body. Running his fingers through Jenny's multicolored tresses, he smiled down at her. This was Heaven on Earth if it ever existed. From the first day they'd spoken, he knew without a doubt that Jenny would be his wife one day. There was no other way. Now here they were, only weeks away from marriage. He'd never be able to live without her or...

 

Sansa stopped in front of them breathing heavily as she smiled brightly. “Daddy,” came her sweet voice as she reached for Bucky's metal hand. “Come play with me.”

 

Jenny bit her lip at the pleased yet startled look on his face. He looked down at her for approval. She sat up, the most beautiful smile on her face. “Yeah Daddy, go play.”

 

He pecked her on the lips. The smile on his face nearly stole her breath. She decided in that moment she'd spend the rest of her life making sure he always smiled like that. “Love ya Doll.”

 

“Love ya more Jaime. Now go,” she said as she shoved him off the bench. “Go play with our daughter.”

 

\--

 

Bucky made sure that he let Jenny in on his plan so that nothing was spoiled. She cried hysterically and told him that he was the most amazing man ever. Her praise made him legitly blush.

 

She left him with Sansa as they ate breakfast making some excuse about needing to see Tony for something or other.

 

In all reality, she was with Tony. And the rest of their family. She'd given Jarvis permission to play the video for everyone to watch.

 

Bucky and Sansa giggled back and forth, cracking jokes while watching cartoons and eating breakfast. Sansa as per usual, was seated at his side. She tended to stick to him even when her mother was around. There was no question that he was one of her favorite people.

 

“Sasa Girl, I have a question for ya,” he said as he fidgeted nervously.

 

“What's up buttercup?” She asked, her expression turning serious as she put her elbow on the table and leaned her head on her hand.

 

“So ya know how your Ma and I are getting married?”

 

She nodded her smile was blinding. “Yeah, Mommy said I'm gonna get to be the Flower Girl like I was at Uncle Steve and Aunt Darcy's wedding.”

 

He smiled back. “You sure are Princess. Gonna be beautiful just like your Mama.”

 

Sansa clapped her hands together gleefully.

 

“When I marry your Mama, it's gonna make me your step-dad.”

 

She nodded enthusiastically. “Uh huh. But I'm gonna call you Daddy. You and Mommy said it was okay.”

 

He knelt down in front of her and pushed an errant lock of hair behind her ear. “Of course Princess. I'm more than okay with that. In fact I love it.”

 

Love shined brightly in the little girl's eyes. “Me too Daddy.”

 

He took a deep breath to try and quell the tears that were threatening to spill from his eyes. It stole his breath every time she called him Daddy. When he first regained his memories, he never thought he'd ever find a woman to love him let alone have a wife and a family. Both of the Stark girls were his world. He only hoped that he'd be able to give them back a fraction of the love they gave him.

 

“Thing is, I wanna be your Dad in every way. I don't wanna just be your step-dad,” he said as he opened a ring box and showed it to her.

 

Sansa slapped her little hand over her mouth. The box contained a band made of a silver metal. In the middle was an engraved star like the one on Daddy's arm with the letter B in script over it. On the left side was the letter S and on the right was the letter R.

 

“Sansa Stark-Rumlow, will you let me adopt you and become Sansa Rumlow-Barnes?”

 

Jenny, in the penthouse with her family was full on crying as she watched her daughter launch herself into her fiance's arms. Little Sansa was crying too as she shouted “yes, yes, yes” over and over again. The guys would deny it until their dying breath, but they too were crying along with the girls as they watched. It was probably one of the sweetest moments any of them had ever witnessed. Especially Steve, who again was not ashamed as he wiped away the tears in his eyes. He was watching his best friend get everything he ever wanted.

 

Bucky slipped the ring on Sansa's left ring finger and then pulled her into his lap. They looked ridiculously silly sitting on the floor but given the circumstances, no one seemed to care.

 

“Ya remember Queen Frigga?” Bucky asked as he cupped her cheeks and wiped at her tears with his thumbs.

 

Sansa nodded.

 

“She helped make this ring. It'll grow with ya. It's a special type of metal.”

 

“It's beautiful,” she exclaimed as she looked at it. “I love it. Thank you Daddy,” she said as she threw her arms around his neck again, hugging him with all her might. “I love you so much.”

 

“I love you too Princess."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love :)


	16. There You'll Be

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jenny and Yekaterina have a moment....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I apologize in advance for this. Fair warning, keep the Kleenex handy. I cried buckets while writing this chapter. I was listening to Pandora's 'Spice Girls Radio' (What like you don't jam out to it every now and then!?! Don't lie....) and for some reason, "Mama" was the first song that came on. That was followed by Faith Hill's "There You'll Be" (the chapter title and lyrics are from this song) and then Mariah Carey's "Hero". I kinda had a little nuclear meltdown. I'll explain why:
> 
> My mother passed away in 2008 after a 19 year battle with Primary-Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. It wasn't easy to watch as my hero deteriorated before my eyes for just as long. I used to sit by my Mom's bed and sing "Mama" to her all the time. Spice Girl's "Spice" was the first CD Mom ever bought me so I played it until she literally had to buy me another because I played it too much. "Hero" was Mom's favorite song. I can't even tell you how many times she'd play it over and over. "There You'll Be" was the song that my best friend sung to me the night Mom died.
> 
> So now you understand why I was so freggin emotional. Feels sometimes get the better of me so this chapter is the result.
> 
> Please let me know what you think....

_In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky_   
_In my heart there'll always be a place for you_   
_For all my life_

_I'll keep a part of you with me_   
_And everywhere I am there you'll be_   
_And everywhere I am there you'll be_   
_There you'll be_

 

Yekaterina was leaving her aunt's home in Brooklyn when she got the feeling that Jenny needed her (or as Darcy liked to call it 'Russian Spidey Senses'). She asked the driver (that Tony incredulously insisted she have _'No Aunt of mine will take the train or a cab. Ever.'_ ) to take her back to the Tower as soon as possible.

 

What she found was Jenny sitting on the terrace looking out on the New York City skyline, her arms wrapped around her knees as she cried into them.

 

The moment she sat down, Jenny threw herself into her arms and sobbed.

 

She held her as she cried for nearly an hour.

 

Tears streamed down Jenny's face as she leaned her head on Yekaterina's shoulder. “'S not fair Mama,” she murmured miserably. “They should be here.”

 

“I know Princess,” Yekaterina replied, trying to keep the pain out of her voice as her own eyes watered. Her heart ached in so many ways.

 

One thing that she'd never told and probably never would tell Jenny was that in another life, she would've been her _real_ mother. While Kristian never betrayed his marriage vows, he'd confessed on multiple occasions that if he'd found her earlier, he would've made her his wife.

 

The confession had warmed her heart and broke it at the same time.

 

There were so many nights that she wanted to damn the consequences and give herself over to the underlying want that was always simmering below the surface for her and Kristian.

 

But it was never to be. Kristian was a wonderful man that stood by his morals no matter what it meant for him. And he'd taught her that no matter what, one thing that couldn't be stolen from her was her morality. That she should always stay true to herself.

 

There never was a better man to walk the Earth than Kristian Stark. No one would ever convince her otherwise.

 

So she gave him what she could instead: she threw herself into raising his children and teaching them to be wonderful people. He thanked her every day until his death. Not always through words. She swallowed a lump in her throat as her hand drifted to the pendant that hung from her neck. It had been a gift from him for her 21st birthday. On a delicate chain (made of vibranium) was a pair of angel wings (also vibranium) encrusted in charcoal Swarovski crystals.

 

The day he'd given it to her, he whispered in her ear that he loved her and that she was his guardian angel.

 

She'd never crawled into bed and cried so hard in her life before or after that.

 

If there was one shining light that Yekaterina Alvarez was grateful for, it was that unlike her and Kristian, Jenny and her James were living their happily ever after. That they'd have a great many years together filled with the love of family. That they'd raise their children _together._ Together, they'd weather any storm they encountered and come out the other side stronger.

 

She'd known this was coming. One day, Jenny would marry a man who was truly worthy of her. Her girl wouldn't settle for less. She grown up surrounded by wonderful examples of what a man should be so there'd be no way she'd ever end up with any man less than that. There was no better man worthy of her than James Buchanan Barnes. Like Jenny, he'd overcome enormous hurdles in his life. After getting to know him through more than just her visions, she'd come to adore him. She could rest easy in the fact that Jenny and Sansa would well and truly be taken care of in all the ways that mattered.

 

As much as the Fates had been kind to Jennifer Stark as of late, she mentally cursed them for taking Kristian and Faolan away from such a beautiful soul. If only for a few minutes, she wished she could give her family back to her daughter.

 

Even Marielena. The woman may have been horrendous most of the time, but ultimately, she had been coming around during Jenny's pregnancy. She had a feeling that maybe Sansa would have been a second chance for the Stark women. That maybe they would have made amends and had a meaningful relationship.

 

It was times like this that her heart soared and shattered in one breath.

 

Her little girl deserved so much better.

 

“I love you Mama,” Jenny said trying so very hard to smile in spite of the pain she was feeling.

 

“And I you my daughter. So much. I know it hurts that they're not physically here but your parents and brother watch you from above. They see how happy you are and it warms their souls. You are just beginning the greatest journey of your life my Sweet Girl. You, Sansa and James will have such wonderful life with the family that surrounds you now. Is a privilege to have that many people love the way they do. Your cup runnith over Child. So many happy days are ahead of you Little One. Yes there will occasionally be tears because they aren't physically here, but in spirit,” she said as she put her their clasped hands over Jenny's heart, “they are always with you. They loved you too much to ever truly leave.”

 

Jenny flashed her the most heartbreakingly beautiful smile as they leaned their foreheads together.

 

They closed their eyes and basked in the rare silence for another fifteen minutes before Bucky found them on the terrace. He made no comment about the dried tear tracks on either woman's cheeks. Instead, he kissed each of them on both cheeks as he said in Russian “ _I'll make dinner tonight. Why don't the two of you go pick out some ridiculous movie that'll give us some laughs. Hell maybe more than one. Our Little Princess is with Steve and Darcy for the night.”_

 

Yekaterina smiled warmly at her soon to be son-in-law as he walked away. She winked at Jenny. “That is how I know this is right. James loves you more than anything. Is so beautiful to watch.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love :)


	17. Photograph

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky learns something new about Jenny's family.....
> 
> Jenny goes on her first mission as an Avenger.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics and chapter title come from "Photograph" by Nickelback.....
> 
> I'm so sorry for the wait. Real life has gotten in the way more than I'd like it too.....

**Chapter 17: Photograph**

 

_Every memory of lookin' out the back door_   
_I have the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor_   
_It's hard to say it_   
_Time to say it_   
_Good bye, good bye_   
_Every memory of walkin' out the front door_   
_I found the photo of the friend that I was lookin' for_   
_It's hard to say it_   
_Time to say it_   
_Good bye, good bye, good bye_

 

Jenny had been having a hard time as of late with the upcoming wedding.

 

Was she second guessing? No, there was no question there. James Buchanan Barnes was the love of her life. She couldn't wait to be his wife. Although they were still debating if she should go by Jennifer Stark-Barnes or Jennifer Barnes. Okay maybe she was debating. Bucky could care less either way seeing as both contained his last name. His usual answer when she'd debate the merits of either of them was _whatever you want Doll._ She rolled her eyes every time he said that. Men.....

 

But she'd eventually figure that out. It was a trivial thing really.

 

Planning the wedding itself? Again not an issue. She wasn't a bridezilla in the making. Her and Bucky agreed on everything. They wanted simple and low key. Only immediate family and friends. No stuffy shit either. No, planning their wedding couldn't be going more perfect.

 

Jenny's struggle lie in the fact that while she missed her parents (yes, even her Mom), not having her big brother, her best friend in all of this was harder than she thought it would. Losing Faolan would've killed her if she hadn't had Sansa.

 

Regardless if he was in Japan, Hawaii, or Afghanistan, Faolan Stark never lost sight of his baby sister. Whether it was an email, a text, or a Skype call, Jenny would hear from him nearly every day.

 

They'd weathered so many storms together throughout the years: their parents troubled marriage, their mother's drunkenness, navigating the gifts they shared and Faolan's own broken marriage.

 

“Whatcha looking at Doll?” Bucky asked as he sat next to his fiance and threw an arm around her. She had a melancholy look on her beautiful face as she flipped through a photo album she had in her lap.

 

“Pictures,” she replied softly running her hands reverently over the pages.

 

He recognized the picture of Jenny and Faolan grinning at the camera as they danced around in Hawaiian shirts. It had been one of the ones _Entertainment Tonight_ had shown when they were covering his death. Jenny talked about her brother a bit but she hadn't show him the photo albums much.

 

He knew about them because they'd been packed up from the Belle Terre house when she, Sansa and Yekaterina moved to the Tower permanently. There were five ( _yes five – Jenny loved to document everything_ ) plastic totes full of various photo albums and scrap books. One was of Sansa alone and was placed in her closet. The other four were sitting in the back corner of their massive walk in monstrosity her and Tony called a closet. Even with all the money he had now, he still called their _closet_ a small _apartment._

 

“Were you guys in Hawaii when this was taken?”

 

She nodded, her expression turning fond. “Yeah, Faolan, Joey and Damien were stationed out of Fort Shafter for a few years. It was Faolan and Amelia's tenth anniversary, Joey's birthday and my sixteenth birthday all rolled into one. Daddy, Mama, and I flew out to see them. We were out there for almost a month. Fao and Melie took me to my first real Luau.”

 

Bucky's eyebrows raised in confusion. There was a little tid bit in there he never known before. “Your brother was married?”

 

She nodded. “Fao and Melie got married in 1997. He met Amelia Millesen when he was stationed in Stuttgart, Germany in 1996. She was traveling Europe alone staying at hostels and working here and there so she had spending money. They fell in love at first sight.”

 

Amelia Millesen was a beautiful girl. She was 5'8 with long blonde hair and bright green eyes. She had a runner's build. Together with Faolan, they made a striking pair. She looked to be about 30 in the picture.

 

“Stark men have a thing for younger women don't they?”

 

Jenny cackled. “Actually Melie was Fao's age. She just wore it well. Well most of the time...” she trailed off.

 

“Doll?”

 

Jenny shook her head. “Melie had a lot of demons. She was the child of two drug addicts. Her father was her mother's pimp. She grew up the complete opposite of us. No money, no loving family and no siblings to turn to. When she was 16 she came home to find both of them dead of a drug overdose.”

 

“Wow.”

 

“Yeah. Melie tried so hard to stay clean but the drugs were always the mistress in their relationship. We put her in rehab three times. She didn't handle moving around real well but whenever Fao would offer to take an administrative or training position she'd get mad and either tell him she didn't need a babysitter or disappear for days on end,” Jenny told him as she stroked Amelia's face in the picture lovingly.

 

“She wasn't a bad person, just a self-destructive one. Fao couldn't battle her demons no matter how hard he tried. It broke her his heart every time he'd find her passed out with a bottle in her hand or a needle in her arm. He stayed by her side through it all. After he died, I tried to convince her to move in with us, but it wouldn't work. She disappeared. Even with Tony's help, I haven't been able to find her.”

 

Leaving Jenny to feel like she failed her brother.

 

“Not your fault Doll.”

 

“Consciously I know that but it still doesn't sit well with me. She's family. I miss her. She's only seen Sansa once.”

 

Which reminded her of a conversation that she and Faolan had _before shit went to hell_ (aka late 2009 to mid 2010). One that to this day still bothered her for a multitude of reasons....

 

_Jenny and Faolan sat on the couch in the living room of his and Melie's brownstone in Sheepshead Bay. Her brother looked happy and carefree. Which of course meant that Melie was having a good month._

 

_It had been more than a month but they measured Melie's successes by the month so as to not overwhelm her. She looked gorgeous, with a healthy glow and wide smile as she grinned at the pair from the kitchen. She had volunteered to make dinner – a sure sign that she was doing well. Amelia loved to cook when she was happy._

 

“ _She looks great Fao.”_

 

_Faolan smiled brightly, his expression proud with tears in his eyes. “She's doin amazing. Been three months since she's had a drink and five since she's touched anythin else.”_

 

“ _Not that I'm not proud of her or anythin, but what brought this on?”_

 

“ _We wanna have a baby.”_

 

_Jenny smiled brightly. Just then she caught a vision of a little boy who looked identical to her brother except with bright blue eyes full of wonder. “Seriously?”_

 

_He nodded. “Yeah, we're not getting any younger. I'm 40 already and Mel will be next year. We wanna have at least one. Dad said I could either work security at SI or come on as a trainer for field agents at SHIELD. Either way, I wouldn't have to leave New York and would be home for dinner every night.”_

 

_Jenny let out a happy hum threw her arms around her brother, hugging him tightly. “That's so awesome Fao. You'll make such a great dad.”_

 

_He smirked as he ruffled her hair affectionately. “Yeah I figure I'll be a pro at this parent thing cause I gained a lotta experience with this insanely brilliant little girl who lived to keep everyone on their toes. She didn't turn out so bad.”_

 

_Her eyebrow arched incredulously. “Big brother who taught me to be that way and encouraged my shenanigans say what now?”_

 

_Faolan chuckled, his eyes full of mirth. “Yeah, I'm kinda screwed aren't I?”_

 

_Jenny nodded not bothering to hide her giggle. “In the worst way. Mama always says you reap what you sow. You, Brother Mine, are so in for it. Gods help you if you have a girl.”_

 

_He shook his head. “Nah, I kinda feel like Mel and I will have a boy.”_

 

_She couldn't help but grin at the dreamy look on her brother's face. Only his family knew that Mr. Big Bad Ranger Sniper was really a giant teddy bear of mush under all that badassness. “Oh yeah, and does my future nephew have a name?”_

 

“ _We discussed him being named after me and if I'm wrong and it's a girl, Mel can pick her name.”_

 

“ _You realize that means I will either call him Junior or FJ?”_

 

_He nodded. “I'm fine with that.” His expression grew serious. “Hey Lil Bit?”_

 

_She frowned at the look on his face. “Yeah Fao?”_

 

“ _If uh,” he said as he scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably in a gesture that was purely Stark. “If anythin were to happen to Mel and I, would you, would you, um, take care of him?”_

 

_Tears pooled in her eyes at the thought. She nodded as she reached for his hands. “Fao, there'd never be a question. I'd take him without hesitation and love him with everything in me. Now I don't wanna think bout that but, if it somethin happened, yeah, I'd take him. And I'd never let him forget that his Mommy and Daddy loved him.”_

 

_Faolan wiped his sister's tears away. “'S all I ask Lil Bit. I know ya don't wanna think bout shit like that but we gotta be real bout things.”_

 

“ _Aye,” Amelia yelled from the kitchen. “Enough of that deep shit for now. Dinner's ready. Wash up an get ya asses to the table,” she commanded with a smirk. But then killed it with “please.”_

 

_Jenny and Faolan both laughed at Amelia's attempt at a Brooklyn accent. They stood, hugged each other and strolled into the kitchen to do as they were told/asked._

 

“ _Melie,” Jenny said as she kissed her cheek. “I love ya girl. But tha Texas accent kills it. Ya can't do it so don't try. An I mean that in tha most lovin way possible.”_

 

“ _That an we tend ta drop R's,” Faolan chimed in as he dried his hands. “'S alright baby, I promise our kid won't have as thick an accent as me.”_

 

_She grinned and kissed his lips when he wrapped his arms around her. “Promises, promises Sniper Boy.”_

 

Jenny swiped angrily at tears. Her heart broke when she thought of the family that would never be. She could only pray that where ever she was, that Melie was still clean.

 

Bucky made a mental note to ask Natasha and Clint if they could look into it. Maybe they could reach out to their contacts and find Amelia.

 

–

 

Jenny's first trip out as an Avenger was interesting to say the least.

 

Firstly, Bucky found her outfit to be quite distracting. It took slaps on the back of the head from both Steve and Thor to get him moving as he watched his fiance walk into the quinjet.

 

She wore tight (a little too tight for Bucky's mental health to be honest) black pants made of the same material that Tony had made everyone's uniforms (save for his and Thor's of course) of. Steve was pretty certain there were knives sheathed in his cousin-in-law's new beloved pair of knee high boots. Bucky and Tony knew there were (the latter watched her put them into the specially concealed pockets on the inside of calves, the former having made the aforementioned pockets for just such a purpose). Gun holsters were strapped to the outside of each of her thighs containing a pair of custom Glock 19s which were a gift from Clint and Natasha. They were black with charcoal trim and her initials etched into the sides. She had jumped up and down clapping happily when they presented them to her.

 

Her form fitting black, charcoal (are we seeing a theme here) and pink (yes _pink_ \- don't judge – sides the pink was only the trim and the buttons on the pockets) tack vest contained a multitude of pockets and clung to her curves perfectly. Both of her arms were uncovered showcasing her tattoos perfectly.

 

Strapped to her back were the pair of katanas that had been gifted to her by Frigga, Heimdall and Sif. They were made of the same metal as Bucky's new arm and Mjolnir. Pretty much completely and totally indestructible. With a feral grin, Jenny gleefully declared she got all the pretty weapons.

 

Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail. She wore no makeup save for smoky eye shadow (which always drove her fiance nuts).

 

She started off the flight by sending Bucky, Steve, Sam, Bruce, Clint, Thor and Tony into hysterical laughter.

 

“Hey Jarvis,” she said as she sat down beside her fiance, “can ya cue up my playlist?”

 

“Oh God,” Tony said as he sat beside Clint in the cockpit and rolled his eyes. “Here we go.”

 

“Shove it Tone,” she declared, sticking out her tongue in defiance.

 

The boys lost their collective shit as _“Danger Zone”_ started playing. From seemingly out of nowhere, Jenny produced a pair of aviator sunglasses and slid them on.

 

“Jenny,” Sam said as he winked at her, “never change.”

 

She smiled brightly as she bopped along to the music. It didn't take long for all the boys to start singing with her. Thor, Steve and Bucky had been subjected to _Top Gun_ many times since it was one of Darcy's favorites.

 

–

 

Overall, the destruction of the Hydra base they found was a success. Jenny had fun using her powers to blow shit up. It was cathartic, just as Sam and Yekaterina told her it would be. The boys couldn't deny that she rocked her first mission.

 

Tony had been afraid of Jenny going in half cocked and wanting to do her own thing but she didn't. He had to hand it to her, his cousin had far more self-restraint than he did. Her and Barnes made a hell of a team. Everyone was impressed. They made silent communication look like an art form. Even Clint said so. Natasha, Darcy, Jane and Pepper reaffirmed the consensus when they watched the mission footage later on.

 

–

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love :)


	18. The (Mis)Adventures of the Avengers and their Elves (Not Necessarily on Shelves)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff ahead.....seriously.....okay well maybe not so seriously.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the lateness of this post. Lot going on lately. As a present for waiting so patiently, I present you with the first of two new chapters....

**Chapter 18: The (Mis)Adventures of the Avengers and their Elves (Not Necessarily on Shelves)**

 

Jenny should have known that the moment she brought out the Elf on the Shelf for Sansa, a melee would ensue. But never could she have predicted how it would snowball. Or just how childish the other adults (we're using that term loosely) in the Tower really were.

 

Originally it had just been Sansa's elf, Olaf. But within days, Argentum (Silver), Aurum (Gold) and Ferrum (Iron) all made appearances. Sansa now had two male (Olaf and Ferrum) and two female (Argentum and Aurum) elves.

 

It had been Sansa who'd chosen the names, without anyone's input. Bucky had smiled cheekily and declared his daughter a genius when he realized she'd given them Latin names. Tony smirked as he remarked that along with his own daughter, Hallow Marie, Sansa would be the next generation of Stark that ruled the world.

 

Jenny rolled her eyes.

 

The first morning, Sansa found the four of them sitting next to the bowl that held the bananas. Olaf and Argentum had blue, silver and black Sharpies in their hands, as if they had drawn Minions on the bananas. Ferrum was standing, holding onto the bowl. Aurum was holding a yellow toothpick sign that said _Sansa for President 2016._

 

The picture of the elven quad was posted to an Instagram account named _The Avenging Elves_ tagged #theElvesnominateSansa

 

Sansa had declared it the best morning ever. But then again every subsequent morning after that received the same declaration.

 

From there it got sillier and sillier as the Avengers took turns.

 

The elves were photographed in and on the Christmas tree in Jenny, Bucky and Sansa's living room. Olaf was dangling from the red and gold star that was atop the tree. Aurum had a LightKeeper™ bulb tester in her hands. She was perched on a branch with a string of bulbs in her lap. Argentum had camouflage paint on his face as he peeked out from in between branches. Ferrum was perched on a branch toward the top of the tree with Avengers garland in her hand. Tag was #treedecoratingisseriousbusiness

 

Jenny wasn't terribly amused when the _elves_ decided to make snow angels in the powdered sugar on the kitchen island. There were 'elfprints' leading from Sansa''s room all the way down to the kitchen. But Sansa thought it was hysterical. Jenny thought the expressions on on Bucky and Steve's faces when she told them they were cleaning it all up was hysterical. #howsthatforsnowangels #canyousaybusted #ScowlingCommandoes

 

One morning, Sansa found all four elves tied to one of the doors on their floor with armed Lego versions of all the Avengers (complete with the Winter Soldier and the Frost Princess) surrounding them. She cackled very loudly when she realized that there was a speech bubble over her father's figure that said _Give up the gummy worms and no one gets hurt._ She'd found them in the first place by following a trail of empty candy bags and wrappers.#dontmesswiththeWinterSoldierscandy

 

The day that the elves toilet papered Tony's lab was a fun one. Well for everyone except Tony. The man in question was never able to prove just who was behind it because the cameras in that area had _conveniently_ malfunctioned. But he had his suspicions. #Pepperwasanaccomplice #orwasshe #JarvisDumEYouandButterfingersknownothing #ordothey

 

Then there was the day that the elves decided that they and the pets needed to be the Avengers.

 

Aurum and Argentum were dressed as Jenny and Tasha respectively. They sat on the bookcase looking down at the rest of the group, arms crossed (exactly as each woman does when they're not amused) watching the goings on below. Natasha cracked up when she realized that Argentum had a knife from Sansa's dinner play set in her hands and another one strapped to her back.

 

Ferrum was decked out in a minature Iron Man costume that had actual rockets in the feet so he was hovering about 3 feet off the ground. Sansa thought it was amazing and didn't hesitate in letting her opinion be known. Tony grinned like a fool at the little girl's smile. Jenny secretly could not wait until Harlow made her appearance. Her big cousin was gonna be a pretty awesome dad.

 

Olaf, decked out like Falcon, flew around the room. As he buzzed by, Jenny nearly cried with laughter when she realized he was playing _I Believe I Can Fly._ Sam started singing along with a wide smile.

 

Freya was dressed like Captain America complete with Sansa's small version of the shield (from the YouTube skits) strapped to her back. Sitting on her back was none other than Sansa's Winter Soldier bear with a red light saber in his hand. On the end of the light saber was the Stark Banner with the Direwolf Sigil from _Game of Thrones_ , the one that proclaimed _Winter is Coming._ Bucky laughed so hard, Steve had to hold him up.

 

Hypnos was Thor, complete with cape and battle armor. One of the knock off Mew Mews (excuse me Mjolnir) from _Lip Sync Battle_ was attached to his left front paw.

 

The cats were in on it too. Thea was dressed a green padded costume as if she were the Hulk. She mewed unhappily, letting her protest be known.....loudly. Since Tony and Clint were both sporting some mean scratches, Jenny figured out real quick who were the culprits behind that day's elf shenanigans. Every growl she let out almost sounded like a little roar which made it even funnier.

 

Echo on the other hand was made up to look like Hawkeye with a plush bow and quiver attached to his back and seemed perfectly content with it. Like Clint, he skipped around happy as hell. He'd often be seen in the vents with the man in question so it was no surprise that he was dressed like him.

 

The piece de resistance was two of Sansa's Monster High dolls dressed in business suits like Pepper and Darcy. It was kind of funny though because both dolls had little bellies showing that they were pregnant. Pepper's (they could tell it was her because come on _red hair_ ) was reading the Wall Street Journal on a mini Stark Pad and Darcy's was watching cat videos on YouTube on her own Stark Pad.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love :)


	19. Two is Better Than One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barnes family of three.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kleenex warning kiddies.....but not in a bad way :)
> 
> Chapter title and lyrics used in this chapter are from the song "Two is Better Than One" by Boys Like Girls featuring Taylor Swift. Seriously sweet song.....

**Chapter 19: Two is Better Than One**

 

It was a warm summer evening (they'd decided to escape the cold that was New York winters) off the coast of Brazil when they got married (on the Stark family private island of course). The entirety of the Stark, Lewis, Rumlow (save for one person), Barnes-Martinez, and Carter families, along with a few of Jenny and Bucky's friends had all been flown in. All totaled there was about 125 people or so attending the wedding.

 

Jenny was adamant that there not be a suit jacket or tie in sight for their nuptials. Bucky happily went with whatever Jenny wanted.

 

Steve (Bucky's best man of course) and the guys wore cream colored linen pants and white short sleeved dress shirts. Bucky's outfit was much the same except that his pants were tan. When Tony (who was the only one brave [or dumb depending on how you looked at it] enough to ask) made inquiries about the color scheme, he promptly received a death glare from his wife, Darcy and Natasha. Jenny just grinned and patted his face while she whispered some proverb about a wise man never questioning the women in his family. Yekaterina smacked him upside the head and muttered in Russian about raising him to be smarter than that.

 

Jenny's bridesmaids and junior bridesmaids were wearing Grecian inspired dresses, designed by her friend Carissa Lawson (who thanks to Jenny, Pepper, Darcy and Natasha, was becoming more and more popular) in varying shades of cream. The fabric and the cut were very forgiving to her pregnant cousins and spysassin friend.

 

They thanked her for that immensely.

 

Sansa danced whimsically down the aisle dropping petals from fire and ice, taupe and white roses all over. She looked adorable with her long hair pinned up. On her head was the tiara that Bucky had custom made for her for occasion. If one looked at it very, very closely, they would see that the sides had the symbols for all of the Avengers (including he and Jenny – a red star and a pair of crossed katanas) on it. There were a few loose curls on both sides of her head. She was wearing a tiny version of her mother's dress, which pleased the little girl to no end.

 

When she reached the end of the aisle, she blew kisses to her family. Bucky bent down as she approached him. The crowd awed when she kissed his cheek noisily as she said “I love you Daddy. To the stars and back.”

 

She brushed her hand over the brand new tattoo he was sporting on his upper right arm that he'd gotten the day she officially became his. It was a sliver of the night sky and below it read _To the stars and back._ Below that was the red star (just like his arm and Sansa's ring) with a B in the middle. To the left of the B was Sansa's birthday. To the right was the day he asked her to let him adopt her.

 

She cried when he showed her the tattoo. _The Gods gave me the best daddy ever,_ she declared happily.

 

“To the stars and back Princess,” he replied, his voice thick with emotion. “Love you.”

 

She wiped his tears as he wiped hers. Traditionally, the flower girl was supposed to stand with the bridesmaids. But this flower girl stood right next to her father. No one fought her on it.

 

Not that anyone would ever fight Sansa Rumlow-Barnes on anything.....ever again.

 

She'd yet to completely comprehend just what being the daughter of the Winter Soldier and the (newly named) Frost Princess, as well as the niece slash cousin of Iron Man, Pepper Stark, Darcy Rogers and Captain America really meant.

 

Damien and Joey's daughters, Elena, Irisa and Jennika skipped down the aisle arm and arm with Bucky's great great nephews James, Jason and Alejandro. The Cruz-Rumlow girls were definitely smitten with the Barnes-Martinez boys much to their fathers' dismay. Bucky had cackled until Joey reminded him about Carissa's son (and Sansa's preferred partner in crime) Jaylen, who was currently waiving to Sansa from his seat in the front row.

 

Peggy (looking as regal as ever in a gorgeous tan dress that Carissa designed specifically for her) once again was walked down with Damien. Yekaterina (in a custom dress of her own) followed on Joey's arm.

 

Rebecca Barnes-Martinez and her husband Alonzo were the ones strutting down the aisle this time, in a move that was very reminiscent of her brother and future sister-in-law (for everyone that was also at Steve and Darcy's wedding). Bucky's (older and yet younger) sister was all smiles all day long. She had a great many reasons to smile on this day.

 

The first being her brother was getting married. Something which for seventy years, she hadn't thought possible. The day Darcy had shown up on her doorstep telling her that Jay was alive was up there as being one of the greatest days of her life. Seeing him build a happy life for himself made her so proud.

 

On top of that she was gaining Jenny as a sister-in-law and Sansa as a niece. Definitely a plus.

 

She had won a sizable pot from the Avengers on when her brother would finally get his act together and propose. Her and Alonzo had just gotten back from a glorious two week vacation in Spain, France and Italy that had been financed by her winnings. They were also able to pay off their youngest great-grandson's remaining college loans and the Christmas shopping for their massive brood was finished quite early.

 

Sam and Carissa followed. It worked out perfectly. Sam wanted Carissa to be his plus one (they'd been spotted out together quite often lately) and Jenny wanted her friend to be one of her bridesmaids. The duo made a striking pair. Jenny bet her fiance that they'd be attending a union of Son (Daughter – totally confused Thor by the way LOL) of Law to Son of Wil within the next year.

 

Rebecca, the betting fool that she was, had started the pool for that one. Jenny cackled and declared her the most awesome sister-in-law ever.

 

Bucky knew better than to take that bet. But he didn't stop either of his best friends from taking it..... silly Clint and Steve. They should know better than to bet against Jenny.....or Becca.

 

One day they might learn......might. Until then, Jenny and Rebecca would continue to reap the rewards.

 

Bruce followed with Helen Cho on his arm. Neither would say if there was anything going on between them, but they'd been seen together more often than not lately. Especially since Jenny and Frigga had been able to take down the barriers in Bruce's mind that kept his and the Big Guy's consciousnesses separated. His changes could take place at will now without him having to get angry. If anyone thought Bruce was zen before, he was practically skipping on air now.....

 

Pepper walked with Erik since Tony was walking Jenny down the aisle. Pregnancy agreed with the Stark Industries CEO.....one hundred percent. She was glowing. Completely and totally. Tony never missed a moment to tell his wife how beautiful he thought she was. Or how much he couldn't wait to be a dad.

 

Jane and Thor were next. The Odinsons turned heads wherever they went. Today was no exception. There was a healthy betting pool going (the Avengers and Co as well as Stark Industries staff bet on everything) on when their family of two would become a family of three.

 

They were followed by Natasha and Clint. The Bartons had tongues wagging as well. Clint had a permanently pleased smile plastered on his handsome face. Natasha Romanoff-Barton pregnant was a sight to behold. She was gorgeous. She had taken to impending motherhood as if she'd been meant for it her whole life. Little Nikolai Christopher Barton was going to be so spoiled by both his mother and father (and the rest of their ridiculously loving family). And so very loved....

 

Finally it was the Maid of Honor and the Best Man's turn. Darcy and Steve were the picture of happiness. The pair were all smiles as they walked down the aisle. Whatever Steve whispered to his wife had her smiling brightly up at him. The photographers captured the moment thankfully. Darcy Rogers was glowing. She and Steve were eagerly awaiting their little bundle of joy: Jason Joseph Rogers.

 

Little JJ's nursery was already decorated and waiting for him. Steve had painted the murals of the New York City skyline (circa 1930) and Central Park (circa 2015) on the walls himself. Their son's room had a mix of old and new, since he would be the child of two eras.

 

When they reached the end of the aisle, Sansa hugged her Aunt and Uncle as tightly as she dared. Then she placed a kiss on Darcy's belly and whispered to JJ before stepping back beside her father. Bucky hugged Darcy and then kissed his fingers before putting them on Darcy's stomach where his godson lay. She kissed his cheek and stepped up to her spot.

 

Steve hugged his best friend, his brother and smiled widely. “Ready Jerk?”

 

“As ready as I'll ever be Punk.”

 

-

 

_I remember what you wore on our first date_  
_You came into my life_  
_And I thought hey_  
_You know this could be something_  
_Cause everything you do and words you say_  
_You know that it all takes my breath away_  
_And now I'm left with nothing_

 

Jenny's dress was simple and elegant.

 

Bucking the norm (as she often did), she wore a gorgeous floor length warm tan wrap gown with a simple white sash secured by a crystalline broach. Carissa had known exactly what she wanted the minute she described it. The entire color scheme for the wedding, right down to the table napkins had been designed around her dress. She carried a bouquet of brown and violet callalillies.

 

Bucky forgot to breath for a second as Jenny stepped into his line of sight on Tony's arm. “Breath Daddy,” Sansa reminded him as she gazed at her mother in awe. “Mommy looks beautiful.”

 

“Your Mama looks more than beautiful,” he whispered to his daughter.

 

Sansa let out a happy hum.

 

Yekaterina smiled as she watched the little girl glow at the sight of her parents watching each other. There were tears in her eyes as she bounced on her little heels eagerly beside her father. Little Sansa would never settle for a man that would love her with any less of his whole heart. After all, she was being raised by the most loving family in existence.

 

_So maybe it's true, that I can't live without you_  
_Well maybe two is better than one_  
_There's so much time, to figure out the rest of my life_  
_And you've already got me coming undone_  
_And I'm thinking two, is better than one_

 

The tears pooled as soon as Jenny's eyes met his across the aisle. “Goddess Bless,” she whispered.

 

“You ready Lil Bit?” Tony asked as he looked at her.

 

She looked up at him and nodded. “So ready Tony. So very ready.”

 

His voice was hoarse and tears were in his eyes as he softly ran his knuckles down her cheek. “Ya know Uncle Kris and Fao would be so proud of you.”

 

“Just like Aunt Maria and Uncle Howie would be proud of you. We've come a long way, haven't we? Love you Tone.”

 

He nodded a wide smile on his face, laughter and mischief dancing in his eyes. “Love you too Jenny. Let's go get you hitched. Barnes is looking like he might just run up here and snatch you from me if we take any longer.”

 

She let out a happy sob. “I can't say that I'd stop him. I never believed in fairy tales before now but,” she said with a wistful sigh, “we're living in one Tone.”

 

He nodded, trying desperately to swallow back his emotions. “I dunno what we ever did to deserve it but let's cherish every moment huh?”

 

“Always,” she replied dreamily as she watched her husband-to-be at the end of the aisle.

 

_I remember every look upon your face,_  
_The way you roll your eyes, the way you taste_  
_You make it hard for breathing_  
_'Cause when I close my eyes and drift away_  
_I think of you and everything's okay_  
_I'm finally now believing_

 

Little snippets of their time together played through their minds as Jenny and Tony neared where Bucky stood.

 

-

 

_She stuck out her hand as she winked right back. “You must be James.”_

 

_He grasped her tiny hand in his. “And you're Jennifer.”_

 

_He laughed at the face she made. “Not Jennifer please. I'm only ever Jennifer when I'm in trouble.”_

 

“ _Anyone ever call you Jenn?”_

 

_She shook her head. “Believe it or not, I've always been Jenny to everyone but my mother. But I kinda like it.”_

 

“ _Then that's what I'm gonna call you Doll.”_

 

“ _Anyone ever call you Jaime?”_

 

“ _No, but I kinda like it.”_

 

_With that, the pair smiled at each other widely._

 

_-_

 

_Bucky came and sat down beside Jenny. She smiled softly at him as he winked at her. He kissed her cheek and she leaned into him. It was an unconscious action on both their parts, but came to them as easy as breathing._

 

_-_

“ _Jaime c'mon,” Jenny pleaded with puppy dog eyes as she held onto the side of the pool._

 

“ _Can't get the arm wet Doll,” was his response. He actually wanted very badly to join their splashing around but had been waiting for the invitation._

 

“ _Bullshit,” she said with a smirk. “I think you can, and even if you couldn't, I can fix that right quick.” Her eyes closed in concentration for a brief second._

 

_He felt a warmth go the whole length of his arm. “What was that?”_

 

“ _That was my waterproofing you even though we both know you're full of it. Now c'mon. If we end up playing chicken, I don't intend to lose. Get that fine ass of yours in this pool soldier.”_

 

_He jumped in, yanking her into his arms. “Who am I to refuse a pretty lady?"_

 

-

 

“ _Oh stuff it,” Jenny said as she stood from her desk. “C'mon,” she grabbed Bucky's hand. “I'll buy ya more gummy worms ya big baby. I love the fact that your candy disappears and you're up in arms. But the fact that we were able to get into your office with very little effort doesn't faze you in the least.”_

 

_He trailed behind her with an incredulous look on his face._

 

-

 

“ _Cause you're mine,” he growled as his nose skimmed her skin. She smelled intoxicating. A mix of Marc Jacobs Daisy and something that was distinctly Jenny. He wanted to drown in her and never resurface._

 

_Closing her eyes, she got lost in the feel of his body against hers moving so intimately. Jenny's pulse skyrocketed as his declaration shot straight to her core._

 

“ _Say it,” he demanded as his lips caressed her neck, never losing his rhythm._

 

_She licked her lips and continued to move against him. The feel of his mouth on her skin lit every nerve in her body._

 

_He spun her around – their faces, their lips were a fraction of an inch apart. His hand slid into her hair. “Say it,” he commanded as he tugged gently._

 

_Jenny gasped as chills ran down her spine. Possessive and Bossy Bucky was hot. Really fuckin hot. “I'm yours,” she moaned helplessly._

 

-

 

_He pecked her on the lips. The smile on his face nearly stole her breath. She decided in that moment she'd spend the rest of her life making sure he always smiled like that. “Love ya Doll.”_

 

“ _Love ya more Jaime. Now go,” she said as she shoved him off the bench. “Go play with our daughter.”_

 

-

 

_And maybe it's true, that I can't live without you_  
_Well maybe two is better than one_  
_There's so much time, to figure out the rest of my life_  
_And you've already got me coming undone_  
_And I'm thinking two, is better than one_

  


A lot of the ceremony was a blur for the pair. It was a combined ceremony. They had a pastor and Frigga, who performed the handfasting.

During the planning, Jenny had discovered that Asgardian wedding ceremonies had a lot of the same traditions as Wiccan ones. When she asked the Asgardian Queen about it, Frigga had all but demanded she be the one to perform that part of the ceremony. Both she and Bucky agreed immediately saying it would be their honor to have her do it.

Frigga recited a beautiful Asgardian blessing as silver and gold ropes wound themselves around their clasped hands. She had told them previously that after the ceremony was over, the ropes would seem to disappear however, when they would touch, a faint trail of both silver and gold would appear on their skin showing to all that they were bound by mind, heart and soul.

If it weren't for the video being taken of the ceremony, neither Bucky nor Jenny would have any idea what Pastor Greene had said. They understood now why the rest of the married couples had told them that most of their wedding would be a blur.

They barely made it through their vows without wanting to kiss each other, forget waiting for the pastor's permission. They didn't go the reciting their own vows route like Darcy and Steve, both agreeing that it'd be too much.

As they slid the rings on each other's fingers, they both had tears streaming down their faces.

 

_I remember what you wore on the first date_  
_You came into my life_  
_And I thought hey_

_Maybe it's true, that I can't live without you_  
_Maybe two is better than one_  
_There's so much time, to figure out the rest of my life_  
_And you've already got me coming undone_  
_And I'm thinking_

 

It was perfect. At first Bucky had been worried that Jenny would have issue with the fact that he'd be wearing his wedding ring on his right hand for obvious reasons. _“Why would that bother me? When we're out, you always keep me to your right side so our rings will always touch when we hold hands.”_ Well that had settled it....mostly.

 

Jenny dragged him to see her friend Soren at his tattoo shop not far from the Tower a few nights before their wedding. They had each gotten one word _Promise_ tattooed on the side of the ring fingers. His was on the outside of his right ring finger. Hers was on the inside of her left. When he asked why, she picked up his hand and held it the way she always did. He understood then. Their words would always touch. The same way their rings would.

 

His girl had an unusual way of settling him down. But it always worked.

 

And it always would.....for the rest of their lives.

 

_Oooh I can't live without you_  
_'Cause baby two is better than one_  
_There's so much time, to figure out the rest of my life_  
_And I've figured out with all that's said and done_  
_Two, is better than one_

_Two is better than one_

“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

 

Those were the only words the pair remembered Pastor Greene saying as Bucky wrapped his arms around his wife and pulled her in close. “No turnin back Mrs. Barnes. You're mine now,” he told her with his trademark grin.

 

“I always was Mr. Barnes,” she responded as she threw her arms around his neck.

 

Bucky and Jenny smiled into their first kiss as husband and wife while Sansa stood in front of them smiling up at her parents with tears streaming down her face.

 

Not a soul that was present thought there was a more exquisite moment for the new Barnes family. The photographer captured it beautifully. Jenny would later call it the most beautiful picture she'd ever seen in her life.

 

That would be the picture that would hang above the fireplace in the common room next to Darcy and Steve's, Pepper and Tony's, Natasha and Clint's, and Jane and Thor's wedding photos.

 

–

 

Jenny and Bucky spent three glorious weeks on that island by themselves after the wedding. At the end of the third week, Steve, Darcy and Sansa arrived in a quinjet. Together the Rogers and Barnes families spent an additional two weeks relaxing on the beach. When they returned, they were greeted by the rest of their rag tag extended family in typical Stark fashion.

 

Cause after all, even though he'd mellowed out a bit (okay a lot), Tony Stark still didn't need much of an excuse to throw a party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love :)

**Author's Note:**

> Reviews are love :)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Redemption Doodle](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4918174) by [BlueRio](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueRio/pseuds/BlueRio)




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